The Sontaran Stratagem
The three of them swiftly left TORCHWOOD base making sure to say there goodbyes. it felt slightly surreal to Rose as she was travelling back in the TARDIS considering they hadn't been into space for the last fortnight. She gave Jack a hug and a kiss on the cheek before going over to Ianto asking for him to look out for Jack and they would see them soon. Rose was the last one in; she stayed by the door for a little while, looking over at Jack. She smiled over at him before closing the squeaky door behind her. She pulled up her sleeves and walked up the ramp towards the console where Donna and the Doctor were bickering as usual while her husband was sorting out the TARDIS preparing her for flight. Rose simply smiled to herself and started helping the Doctor, the pair of them having got into a routine when it came to flying the TARDIS.
"What do you mean Martha Jones called you?" Donna exclaimed; The Doctor simply looked at her with a frown on his face as he looked up at her, his blue suit hugging his figure tightly while Donna's jacket was simply keeping her warm. Rose continued to fly the TARDIS while the Doctor spoke over to Donna.
"She left her phone number on Rose's phone, so if she was ever in trouble she could call me, simple as that" The Doctor said to her before he finished the flight. The TARDIS began to materialize between two buildings. The Doctor rushed over to the door and pulled it open before looking behind him and then over his shoulder, taking one look at Martha and stepping out of the TARIDS. Donna was walking slowly towards him, taking in his bemused expression, his mouth hanging open, eyebrows raised while Rose simply walked from the room in hope of finding her coat, a habit she had picked up that she no longer went anywhere without it.
Rose knew it was stupid. She knew all the conflicting thoughts swimming around her mind were stupid and pathetic. But Rose couldn't seem to get rid of them. She found herself walking away from the entrance of the TARDIS, her head downcast, looking at the golden grating while her fringe fell over her face. Her hands were clutching her TARDIS key as she walked towards the bedroom she shared with her husband. Since she had been travelling with the Doctor again Rose knew her life was complete. She had the man she loved back, she could live the life she wanted with him and everything was perfect. But recently on adventures they had been on something was bothering her. Something in the back of her head was nagging at her, causing her thoughts to become erratic and painful. Things swimming around her head that she thought she would never think. She thought she was ineffective compared to the Doctor, thinking that she could never be as smart and intelligent as he is, and she didn't believe him when he told her she was. Her insecurities coming to the surface, her eyes and mind always embedded into one of the advanced subject text books, looking over the words, but already knowing the answer. She felt like she had to prove herself to the universe, to tell people where her place was because she had been searching for it for almost ten years. Trying to find the time she belonged in, in the time and place where her heart was at rest. But Rose found herself constantly fighting for her place at the Doctor's side. Always fighting for his love and attention because she feared if she did not he would leave her. But knowing what Martha had felt for her husband made her concerned. She was worried the woman still felt that way for her husband, she was worried that The Doctor would notice, knowing that Martha would not be as clingy as she was and would rather travel with her, causing Rose to try and make a life for herself back on earth, her mind fogged with so many memories of her mother and Mickey, the two people she hadn't seen for almost 12 years. She knew that he would never do that to her after everything that had happened to them; after the incident on the Valiant her life had gotten a whole lot harder and complicated.
Rose suddenly shook her head from her dark and dangerous thoughts and flew into the room which was in front of her. The bed was like the pair of them had left it, made up with the stars twinkling above her. Rose looked up at the ceiling and smiled slightly. Knowing if they stayed long enough they may be able to see those stars for real. She smiled to her self for a little longer before her eyes fell onto her coat. Rose picked it up and she rejoiced in the familiar feel of the cotton underneath them before she pulled it on, adjusting her collar and her hair in the process, her jeans falling over her converses as she went.
"Martha Jones." The Doctor said from the position he had taken when he had left the TARDIS, his trench coat falling to the ground from his body.
"Doctor." Martha simply replied her head nodding slightly as she smiled over at him. The corners of the Doctor's mouth twitched slightly as he looked over towards her form. Looking over the dark jeans that were clothing her legs, and the military boots which were enclosed around her feet. Her black leather jacket keeping her warm from the biting chill of the February air. The pair of them began to approach each other slowly before Martha held out her arms and he beamed over at her. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up in a great hug, causing the pair of them to laugh with happiness.
"Ah, yeah!" The Doctor cried before releasing her, his face holding a smile which was showing his pearly white teeth "You haven't changed a bit!"
"Neither have you!" Martha breathed with excitement
"How's the family?" The Doctor asked, putting his hands back in his pockets
"You know. Not so bad. Recovering." Martha smiled, her head nodding while Donna stepped out of the TARDIS behind the Doctor but Martha's face fell slightly as she saw her. Her face frowning slightly as she had no idea where Rose was.
"What about you?" The Doctor asked, completely oblivious to Martha's realisation. But he suddenly flung his head in the direction of Donna, his lips in a purse slightly, curious and worried of where his wife could be, he sent her a communication via their link and wasn't surprised when he heard her voice in his head telling him she would be their in a minute. But the Doctor didn't fail to notice the pain etched into her voice.
"Right. I should have known. Didn't take you long to replace me." Martha voiced, slightly deflated, her hand patting his arm
"Now, don't start a fight." The Doctor said, his eyebrows rose before he looked over at Donna with a smile "Martha, Donna. Donna, Martha. Please don't fight. I can't bear fighting." The Doctor said as he waved his hand to the pair of them, before stepping back slightly one of his hands held up in the air. Donna simply rolled her eyes
"You wish. I've heard all about you." Donna smiled as she made her way over to Martha, she took her hand and shook it "He talks about you all the time."
"I dread to think." Martha said slightly worried, her eyes widening as she looked up at the Doctor, wondering if he had told her her feelings for the man in front of them.
"No, no, no. He says nice things. Good things. Nice things. Really good things." Donna defended, smiling at her again.
"Oh, my God, he's told you everything." Martha said looking down slightly embarrassed as she moved the fringe from her face.
"Didn't take you long to get over it, though. Who's the lucky man?" Donna said, trying to make the conversation less awkward.
"What man? Lucky what?" The Doctor asked, his eyebrows in a frown as he looked over at Donna
"She's engaged, you prawn." Donna stated, causing Martha to beam over at the pair of them and wiggling the fingers of her left hand
"Really? Who to?"
"Tom. That Tom Milligan. He's in paediatrics working out in Africa right now. And yes, I know, I've got a doctor who disappears off to distant places - tell me about it." Martha said to them but that's when her face moved into a frown. "Hang on a minute, where's Rose?" She asked. That's when the Doctor's moved into a frown, and Donna looked worriedly back to the TARDIS
"Good point where is she? ROSE!" The Doctor yelled slightly worried just for the TARDIS door to squeak open and the small figure of Rose in her brown coat fell from the door, her hair falling over the place as she sorted out her collar again, she then moved her hair over her shoulders
"I'm here, sorry" She said as she walked over to them with a forced smile on her lips, the Doctor frowning at her, knowing almost immediately something was wrong "Hey Martha" She chimed before bringing Martha into a hug. "So Engaged, that's a big step" She smiled
"Yeah" Martha said to her, beaming a huge smile
"Is he skinny?" Rose asked, not actually having met Tom.
"No, he's sort of... strong."Martha said, smirking slightly as her mind was filled with an image of her fiancée.
"He is too skinny for words. You give him a hug, you get a paper cut." Donna informed which caused Rose and Martha to chuckle; the Doctor moved his face to the air
"I'd rather you were fighting." He muttered which caused Rose to smile over at him before she wrapped her hand around him and squeezed. The Doctor looked down at her and smiled comfortingly down at her, seeing the sadness in her eyes and wanting to try and help her.
"Dr Jones, report to base, please." A woman's voice was heard over the radio which was in Martha's pocket.
"Speaking of which..." Martha muttered before speaking into the radio "This is Dr Jones. Operation Blue Sky is go, go, go." She said as she turned and walked away. The three of them looking at her with worried looks on their faces as they took in to woman she had become "I repeat, this is a go." The three of them followed Martha and stopped by the side of the road as Jeeps, large lorries and endless amount of soldiers ran down the road. The Doctor had placed his hands in his pockets once again, while Rose's arms were folded across her chest. The Doctor was holding a frown on his face as he looked at the events in front of him while Donna had her mouth hanging open.
"Unified Intelligence Taskforce, raise that barrier now!"One of the soldiers yelled as the people and the vehicles entered a large industrial factory "Leave your safeties on, lads, it's non-hostiles!"
"All workers lay down your tools and surrender!"
"Greyhound Six to Trap One. B Section, go, go, go! Search the ground floor, grid pattern Delta." Martha yelled while Rose simply spoke over to Martha with a frown on her face
"What are you searching for?"
"Illegal aliens." Martha yelled over her shoulder
"This is a UNIT operation! All workers lay down your tools and surrender immediately!" A soldier yelled over a bull horn, the UNIT soldiers forced the workers to their knees, hands over their heads.
"B Section mobilized! E Section, F Section, on my command!" Martha yelled before she ran off, leaving the Doctor and his friends on their own. Donna following Martha with her mouth open. Rose was looking down at the ground while the Doctor was looking into the air, his mouth in a hard line
"Is that what you did to her, turned her into a soldier?" Donna questioned. The Doctor was going to say something to her again but nothing came out. He simply pushed his lips together again before looking around his surroundings. Rose simply clasped hold of his hand and sent him waves of comfort via their link.
Martha was walking back over to them. Donna smiled over at her while the Doctor continued to look away from her. Rose tugged the Doctor's jacket to make him turned around and in the process he noticed her name badge
"You're qualified now? You're a proper doctor." He asked, Martha simply looked at him and nodded slightly
"UNIT rushed it through, given my experience in the field. Here we go." She smiled before leading them across the grounds "We're establishing a field base on site. They're dying to meet you. You too Rose, after all you were born human and now a Time Lady. And there curious on how you popped up in time and space" Martha smiled as she lead them towards her superiors. Donna's eyebrows simply rose while the Doctor's lowered
"Wish I could say the same." The Doctor whispered looking down at his wife
"This could be interesting" She simply said to him sadly.
They all entered the lorry from the rear. They walked through a glass door and came into the control centre. The lorry was set up with computers, monitors and communications. Rose not failing to notice they were all top of the line quality. Rose watched as Martha walked up to a senior officer.
"Operation Blue Sky complete, sir. Thanks for letting me take the lead. And this... this is the Doctor. Doctor, Colonel Mace." Martha said with a smile, the last part directed towards the Doctor who was looking at the equipment. Rose and Donna was simply standing behind the time lord.
"Sir." Mace said with a salute. The Doctor simply grimaced, moving his body back slightly, his eyes in a frown
"Oh, don't salute." He complained which caused Rose to smile slightly.
"But it's an honour, sir. I've read all the files on you. Technically speaking, you're still on staff. You never resigned."Mace informed, all the while the Doctor had one of his eyebrows raised, but his eyes were rolling in their sockets as he listened to the man. Donna's mouth simply fell open
"What, you used to work for them?" Rose simply smiled over at her
"Yeah. A long time ago, back in the 70s - or was it the 80s?" Rose said with a smile, but a frown was present on her face. The Doctor simply looked down at her with a small smile on his lips
"It was all a bit more homespun back then."He said very quietly, directed only for them to hear him.
"Times have changed, sir" Mace informed, while Rose looked over the consoles and over to the hive of activity in the lorry
"That's enough of the "sir"." The Doctor said again, really not liking the authority.
"Come on though, Doctor. You've seen it. You've been on board the Valiant. We've got massive funding from the United Nations, all in the name of Homeworld Security."Martha said as they walked around the console. At the name of the Valiant Rose froze slightly. Her mind was fogged with images of the Master, looking at the Doctor's frail form, feeling the Master's hands gripping her body with passion, his mind falling into hers. The Doctor suddenly felt the panic and despair his wife was feeling via their connection and he snapped his head in the direction of her figure. Her face had lost its colour, her body was shaking slightly and her hearts had quickened in their rhythm.
"A modern UNIT for the modern world." Mace continued to say while the Doctor walked over to his wife.
"What, and that means arresting ordinary workers? In the streets? In broad daylight? It's more like Guantanamo Bay out there." Donna argued. But the Doctor was too concerned with his wife. He walked over to her and gripped hold of her shoulders. She jumped at his touch and her eyes littered up to his. Her eyes were watering with unshed tears, her breathing erratic as her thoughts were all over the place.
"Rose, it's me, I'm here" The Doctor soothed his eyes boring into hers with such intensity Rose could not look away. His eyes were filled with such compassion and sympathy. His thoughts filled with concern for her, his need to help her, to see her smile again was pressed on her heart. In that one gaze Rose knew her husband had picked up on her mood but her mind was unable to calm down. She simply looked at him again before the air in her lungs rushed from her mouth and she collapsed into his arms, all the while Donna was talking her mini monologue. The Doctor pressed his head to hers and rubbed soothing patterns into her back as she shook. But all too soon she composed herself and she managed to look up at the Doctor.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that" She stammered as she looked up at him, pulling away but her hands never leaving his, needing to hold him in some way. The Doctor simply smiled a sad smile at her before moving the fringe from her face.
"You've been strong for too long. I expected something to happen sometime. But I'm never leaving Rose, we're going to get through it together" He said cupping her cheek and leaned in slightly as he spoke to her. Rose simply smiled slightly before nodding her head. The Doctor smiled before placing a kiss to her forehead and they turned to see Donna still talking towards Mace "Donna, by the way. Donna Noble, since you didn't ask. I'll have a salute." She ordered which caused Mace to look at the Doctor who gave him a slight nod a smile playing on his lips as him and his wife pulled off their coats. The Doctor revealing his blue suit while Rose was wearing a white top with a grey jumper over the top of it. Her jeans being held up by a thick brown belt.
"Ma'am." Mace stated with a salute
"Thank you." Donna smiled, her eyes flickering slightly.
"So what's going on in that factory." Rose asked as she stood over the form of her husband who was sitting at the desk in front of her. His chin was resting in his hand, his glasses present on his face while he looked at the screens.
"And you are" Mace asked which made Rose's face move into one of disappointment. It caused the Doctor to snap his head towards Mace and his wife, his hand moving away from his chin and grasp hold of Rose hand out of comfort. Her thoughts from this morning were returning to her.
"This is Rose Smith. The Doctor's Wife" Martha answered with a smile.
"We didn't know you married?" Mace informed
"Well UNIT don't need to know every single detail of my life now do they" The Doctor snapped as he got to his feet.
"You're the Time Lady?" He asked. Rose simply nodded
"Not what you were expecting?" Rose asked, one of her eyebrows raised slightly.
"No actually" Mace stated which caused the Doctor to wrap his arm around his wife and looked at the man sternly
"She's as good as me, so don't under estimate her"
"Yes, Sir" Mace said again while the Doctor grimaced
"The Factory?" Rose said again, trying to change the topic and shake the insecurities which were falling onto her heart again
"Yesterday, fifty-two people died in identical circumstances right across the world, in 11 different time zones. 5am in the UK, 6am in France, 8am in Moscow, 1pm in China—
"You mean they died simultaneously?" Rose interrupted as she looked at the information which was being shown to her on the screen, showing her the planet. The Doctor's arm still present around her shoulders. His eyebrows in a frown while Donna had her mouth hanging open.
"Exactly. 52 deaths at the exact same moment worldwide." Mace informed
"How did they die?" The Doctor asked, his face being pulled from the screen and towards the soldier.
"They were all inside their cars."
"They were poisoned. I checked the biopsies. No toxins. Whatever it is, left the system immediately."Martha said as she spoke over to the Doctor, her face neutral while the Doctor's frown simply deepened, his mouth now hanging open.
"What have the cars got in common?" Rose inquired
"Completely different makes but all fitted with ATMOS. And that is the ATMOS factory."Martha said motioning towards the factory that was behind them
"What's ATMOS?" The Doctor voiced, moving his face back to the screen again
"Oh come on, even I know that. Everyone's got ATMOS." Donna scoffed as she looked over at the confused looks on her companion's friends.
The three of them found themselves walking down a catwalk above the factory floor. Plastic sheets were covering the sides of the walkway so they couldn't get a good look into the factor, but Martha was walking out in front of them while Donna was in between the two aliens.
"Stands for "Atmospheric Emission System". The ATMOS in your car reduces CO2 emissions to zero." Martha informed
"Zero?" The Doctor asked open-mouthed "No carbon? None at all?"
"And you get sat-nav thrown in, plus 20 quid in shopping vouchers if you introduce a friend. Bargain." Donna said as she looked up at the Doctor who was frowning down at her. Mace joined them at the point of time.
"And this is where they make it, Doctor, shipping worldwide. Seventeen factories across the globe but this is the central depot, sending ATMOS to every country on Earth." Mace said to them. The Doctor was leaning on his hip while his arms were resting on the railings in front of him, his mouth in a hard line while his eyebrows were in a frown. Rose's eyes were flickering in every direction as she took in most of the detail while Donna stood back with Martha, the prisoners all moving behind them with their hands on their heads.
"And you think ATMOS is alien?" Rose said looking over at Mace.
"It's our job to investigate that possibility." Mace informed before looking over to Rose's husband "Doctor?" So with that he walked off. The Doctor looked at him with a frown. He moved around his friends and followed him. They walked pasted some soldiers in the midst of gathering the factory workers which caused Rose to frown slightly as she took in the treatment of the people.
"Come on, everybody, up the pace. We haven't got all day now."
The group arrived in the ATMOS factory office where the small device was lying on display
"And here it is, laid bare. ATMOS can be threaded through any and every make of car." Mace said, his hand motioning towards the device before he moved to the head of the table and towards one of the computers
"You've must've checked it before it went on sale." The Doctor said his eyebrows still in a frown as he looked over at the things the soldier was showing him. Donna looking into the files while Rose was still looking at the device
"We did. We found nothing. That's why I thought we needed an expert." Martha said with a smile. The Doctor slipping on his glasses to examine the equipment. Rose simply smiled to herself.
"Really? Who did you get?" He voiced before he turned around slightly to see the others staring at him. Martha had her eyebrows raised while Rose was smiling over at him. The Doctor's eyebrows were still raised as he turned to see them fully. "Oh, right! Me! Yes! Good." He chimed, which caused Martha to shake her head slightly and she left the room with Mace.
"Okay, so why would aliens be so keen on cleaning up our atmosphere?" Donna asked as she walked over to his shoulder. The Doctor simply looked down at her, his eyebrows still in their risen position while Rose leaned in further towards the device, trying to study it further.
"Very good question." The Doctor said quietly.
"Maybe they want to help - get rid of pollution and stuff." Donna asked while shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders.
"Do you know how many cars there are on planet Earth?" Rose asked gently, her legs guttering out from the table as she leant her elbows on the side, her husband now taking his turn to study the device "800 million." She continued which caused Donna to realise what this meant, her face moving into a look of realisation "Imagine that. If you could control them, you'd have 800 million weapons." She said before she returned to examining the device with the Doctor.
"Ionising nano-membrane carbon dioxide converter - which means that ATMOS works. Filters the CO2 at a molecular level." Rose informed as she moved her tongue over her teeth, and holding the device so she could get a better look at it. She looked over at Mace who was looking over at her impressed
"We know about that. What's its origin? Is it alien?" Mace snapped over at her which caused Rose to roll her eyes. The Doctor was leaning against the table, his hands at the side while his legs were crossed over each other as he spoke over to Mace who was leaning over him as he took the ATMOS device from his wife.
"No, but it's decades ahead of its time. Look, do you mind? Could you stand back a bit?" The Doctor complained
"Sorry, have I done something wrong?" Mace asked with a frown on his face
"You're carrying a gun. I don't like people with guns hanging around me, all right?" The Doctor snapped as he placed the device back onto the model. Rose simply stood away while Martha looked down as Mace looked at her confused
"If you insist." He stated as he walked away and out of the office.
"Tetchy." Martha stated as she took a few steps towards him.
"Well, it's true." The Doctor muttered while his eyes flickered up to her from his crouched position
"He's a good man." Martha exclaimed
"People with guns are usually the enemy in my books." The Doctor said to her again, straightening up slightly, taking the device, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his sonic screwdriver as he perched on the edge of the table. Rose sitting quietly on her own in the corner of the room "You seem quite at home." He said as he started using the screwdriver on the device,
"If anyone got me used to fighting, it's you." She said quickly
"Oh right," The Doctor said in a high pitched voice as he waved his head slightly, the screwdriver still being used "so it's my fault." He said with a smile of misbelieve on his face.
"Well, you got me the job. Besides, look at me." Martha said and at that moment the Doctor turned off the sonic screwdriver and looked at her. Rose simply smiled slightly as she looked at that pair of them interacting. "Am I carrying a gun?"
"Suppose not." The Doctor whispered, looking up at her over the top of his glasses
"It's all right for you. You can just come and go, but some of us have got to stay behind. So I've got to work from the inside and by staying inside, maybe I stand a chance of making them better." Martha said, her shoulders moving as she spoke to him, her eyes boring into his while he listened to her.
"Yeah?" The Doctor said before his face moved into a smile "That's more like Martha Jones." Martha simply closed her eyes slightly before looking over at him again
"I learnt from the best." She said to him gently
"Well..." The Doctor said with a smile before looking over at Rose who was smiling at them. The Doctor held out his hand and motioned her toward him. She beamed over at him before pulling herself from the chair and moved her arm around his waist in a hug.
"Oi, you lot! All your storm troopers and your sonics - rubbish! Shoulda come with me." Donna said with a small smile on her lips, Rose still in the Doctor's arm as they looked over at their companion. Mace had also walked back into the room.
"Where have you been?" The Doctor chimed from his position with a frown on his face
"Personnel. That's where the weird stuff's happening - in the paperwork. 'Cause I spent years working as a temp, I can find my way around an office blindfolded, and the first thing I noticed is an empty file." Donna explained, walking over to them slightly.
"Why, what's inside it? Or what's not inside it?" Rose asked, her face neutral before it changed to one with a frown
"Sick days." Donna said with a smile before opening it to show the group that it was empty "There aren't any. Hundred of people working here, and no one's sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip. Nothing. Not ever. They don't get ill."
"That can't be right." Mace informed with a frown before taking the folder from her
"You've been checking out the buildings, should've been checking out the workforce." Donna said, she took one look at Rose's smile and she smiled with her, she came to stand next to the woman who was slowly becoming her best friend and she grasped hold of her hand
"I can see why he likes you." Martha admired which caused the Doctor and Donna to exchange a look.
"Hmm." Donna voiced which caused her to smile back over to Rose who was still smiling with her
"You are good."
"Super Temp."
"Dr Jones, set up a medical post, start examining the workers. I'll get them sent through." Mace said still looking at the file but talking to Martha
"Come on, Donna, give me a hand." Martha said as the two of them walked from the room. The Doctor simply looked at Rose before grasping her hand and the pair of them followed Mace from the room.
"So, this, this ATMOS thing, where'd it come from?" The Doctor asked as him and his wife ran to walk with Mace along an open corridor which Rose noticed was parallel to the work area. The Doctor still holding the device while he pulled off his glasses and placed them back in his pocket
"Luke Rattigan himself." Mace replied
"And himself would be?" Rose asked with her eyebrows raised. Mace simply smiled at her. He was slowly warming up to her. She knew what she was talking about, she asked the right questions and her heart was in the right place. He simply motioned his hand in the direction they needed and the three of them headed into the right direction.
They entered the base once again and Mace immediately went straight to one of the computers. He typed in the name and the soldier pulled up Luke's profile on the computer. The two time beings leaning in as they looked at the computer screen. Rose having both her arms folded over each other on the desk while the Doctor had his chin in his hands, eyebrows in a frown.
"Child genius. Invented the Fountain 6 search engine when he was 12 years old. Millionaire overnight. Now runs the Rattigan Academy. A private school educating students handpicked from all over the world." Mace informed while the two of them studied the computer screen
"A hothouse for geniuses" The Doctor said, his eyebrows raised, Rose looking over and smiling at her husband slightly "wouldn't mind going there." The Doctor said again, just for Mace too look at him slightly puzzled. "I get lonely" The Doctor chimed, his mouth moving in very precise movements and Rose couldn't help but laugh. The Doctor looked down at her and smiled; glad he had made her smile.
They were once again striding along the compound, the Doctor having his hands in his pockets, his coat swaying behind him while Rose had her arms folded across her chest, her large collar on her coat keeping her neck warm.
"You are not coming with us. I want to talk to this Luke Rattigan, not point a gun at him." The Doctor argued, his face looking to the ground so he could see where he was going
"It's ten miles outside London. How are you going to get there?" Mace stated
"Then get us a Jeep." The Doctor said with a very high pitched voice, his arm moving toward one of the parked cars
"According to the records, you travel by TARDIS." Mace continued, the trio still walking with a fast pace
"Yeah, but, if there is a danger of hostile aliens, I think it best to keep a super-duper time travel machine away from the front lines." Rose said quickly which caused Mace to look at her in shock that she knew such things which just caused the Doctor to smile over at her
"I see. Then you do have weapons but you choose to keep them hidden. Jenkins?" Mace said which just caused Rose to roll her eyes while the Doctor sighed a heavy sigh of frustration. The pair of them looking over at the man who was walking towards Mace.
"You will accompany the Doctor and his Wife and take orders from him." Mace said to the young lad who was standing by one of the jeeps. He had a UNIT cap on, and was cladded in military uniform. He had very pale skin, and short black hair.
"He doesn't do orders." Rose said over to the Ross who was looking at them with a frown on his face, not knowing what to think of the young couple.
"Any sign of trouble get Jenkins to declare a Code Red. And good luck, sir." Mace said, his words directed towards Mace, who was saluting over to him again
"I said no salutes." The Doctor said, looking down at the ground, his head moving in a circle which caused Rose to smile slightly
"Now you're giving orders." Mace stated with a smile before he left the couple.
"A bit cheeky, you are." The Doctor muttered to himself once again before grasping hold of Rose's hand. They both turned when they heard there names being called
"Oh, just in time. Come on!" The Doctor said cheerily pulling both Rose and Donna towards one of the jeep "Come on, we're going to the country. Fresh air, geniuses, what more could you ask?" The Doctor said with a smile.
"I'm not coming with you. I've been thinking. I'm sorry... I'm going home." Donna said in complete seriousness. The Doctor looking down at her, his eyebrows raised, mouth hanging open while Rose looked around his form and at the woman standing in front of him
"Really?" The Doctor said slightly deflated, his words barely audible.
"I've got to."
"Well, if that's what you want. I mean, it's a bit soon. I had so many places I wanted to take you. The Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade, the lightening skies of Cotter Palluni's World, the diamond coral reefs of Kaata Flo Ko... Thank you. Thank you, Donna Noble. It's been brilliant. You-you've saved my life in so many ways." The Doctor said gently. His eyes watering, eyes full of emotion, his body swaying as he spoke, head moving in gestures, mouth moving into a smile. Donna was nodding along with him. Rose hiding a smile behind her hand as she realised how much of an idiot her husband had just made himself "You're... You're-you're just popping home for a visit. That's what you mean." The Doctor stammered which made Rose laugh slightly.
"You dumbo."Donna laughed
"And then you're coming back." The Doctor said, his eyebrows sinking to a neutral position, his chest heaving as he took in the air he needed
"Do you know what you are? A great, big, outer-space dunce." Donna chimed which caused Rose and The Doctor to smile
"Yeah."
"Ready when you are, sir." Jenkins chimed from the side of the Jeep.
"What's more, you can give me a lift. Come on." Donna smiled skipping over to the jeep. The Doctor opened the door for Donna before letting Rose get in before him "Broken moon of what?"
"I know. I know." The Doctor complained, Rose smiling over at him and Donna smiling with her as the Jeep pulled away.
The Jeep pulled up to the corner of the street. The Doctor stepped out first, followed by Rose and Donna.
"I'll walk the rest of the way. I'll see you back at the factory, yeah?" Donna shouted as the pair of them got back into the jeeps yelling their goodbyes.
"And you be careful!" Donna yelled again before slowly walking down the street, noticing everything looking so normal. She smiled to herself before rushing back to her house.
"UNIT's been watching the Rattigan Academy for ages. It's all a bit Hitler Youth. Exercise at dawn and classes and special diets." Ross voiced which caused Rose to look over at him. The Doctor having his arm resting on the surface of the chair, his other hand on the window. The Doctor was frowning as he listened to him
"Turn left."
"Ross, one question. If UNIT think that ATMOS is dangerous..." Rose started to questioned
"How come we've got it in the Jeeps?" Ross smiled, looking over at her
"Yeah."
"Ha, tell me about it. They're fitted as standard on all government vehicles. We can't get rid of them until we can prove there's something wrong." Ross informed, his eyes falling back through the windscreen as he continued to check his mirrors.
"Turn right."
"Drives me around the bend." Ross complained just as he turned into the school drive
"Oh, nice one." The Doctor smiled
"Timed that perfectly." Ross smiled causing the Doctor and his wife to smile with him
"Ha. Yeah. You did."
"This is your final destination."
To be continued