Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or Torchwood, both belong to the BBC and their respected writers. But I do own Gaia! :b
A/N: It's up... finally. I have just finished writing it, i haven't proof read it and I have a banging headache. That's dedication! ;) Anyway, sorry for any mistakes, although there is a bit of flirting in this... woo! :) Also thanks for the reviews, they mean a hell of a lot! :)
"…Imagine that. If you could control them, you'd have 800 million weapons." An all too familiar voice said in the next room.
Gaia was currently at the ATMOS central depot, after receiving a phone call from Martha as well as reading several UNIT reports, Jack had sent her to help out. She had arrived at the base not too long ago and after seeing the iconic blue box in one of the alleyways, she was eager to see the man himself once again.
Stepping into the office the room went quiet for a moment. Martha was the first to speak. "Took your time didn't you." She stated a smile on her face and eyebrows raised. Gaia shrugged and smiled in return.
"Nice to see you too Martha." She replied happily. Martha rolled her eyes and shook her head at the Planet keeper. Colonel Mace was the next to respond.
Standing up to attention Colonel Mace saluted Gaia. "Colonel Mace ma'am. It is an honour to finally meet you." He stated. Gaia looked mildly shocked at the statement, she hadn't realised she had a reputation with UNIT.
"At ease Colonel." She replied. "And it is nice to meet you also." She replied, her tone strictly professional. The Colonel gave a short nod before returning to the ATMOS.
Gaia then turned to the other man studying the ATMOS. "Hello Honey." Gaia said sweetly, the term of endearment had simply slipped off her tongue, yet she rather liked the sound of it. The Doctor blushed a little, the top of his ears turning the reddest.
"Bit early for you to be saying that." He commented eyebrows raised.
"Meaning?" She queried.
"You're younger than we last met." He stated.
"It's not my fault you never do things in the right order." Gaia retorted smirking.
"But it's not my fault your timeline is non-linear to mine." The Doctor replied, now stepping towards Gaia. They were millimetres away.
"Ah, but from my point of view your timeline's non-linear to mine." Gaia retorted not minding the Doctor's closeness at all.
"Look at you two." Martha exclaimed. "You're like an old married couple." Gaia and the Doctor met each other's gaze, neither able to hide the blush that rose to their cheeks.
Colonel Mace killed the moment, clearing his throat to get everyone's attention. "Quite. If it is too much to ask Doctor, could we please get back to the matter at hand." Colonel Mace said; it was a statement not a question.
"Right, yes." The Doctor replied, running his fingers through his hair and returning his attention back to the ATMOS at the centre of the room. Picking up the device he turned it over in his hand, eyeing the device and scanning it's make up. Gaia came up and stood beside him, also eyeing the shiny small device. "Ionising nano-membrane carbon dioxide filter." The Doctor stated slightly shocked at his findings.
"ATMOS works then." Gaia stated and the Doctor nodded in agreement.
"Yes apparently so; filters the CO2 at a molecular level." Colonel Mace seemed unsurprised at this information.
"We know all that, but what's its origin? Is it alien?" He implored and Gaia couldn't help but roll her eyes at the human.
"No. Decades ahead of its time, but not alien." Gaia stated and Mace looked somewhat upset. He leant over to examine the ATMOS with the Doctor.
"Look, d'you mind, could you stand back a bit?" The Doctor asked, clearly uncomfortable.
"Sorry, have I done something wrong?" Mace asked, slightly confused at the Doctor's actions.
"You're carrying a gun. I don't like people with guns hanging around me, all right?" The Doctor spat back venomously. Mace leant away from the ATMOS as did Gaia, also offended at the Doctor's outburst.
"If you insist." Mace replied through gritted teeth and left the room, head held high.
"Tetchy." Martha commented as Mace left, the word directed at the Doctor.
"Well it's true." The Doctor retorted not looking up from the device. Before Martha could comment again Gaia cut in.
"I'm carrying a gun." She stated the Doctor looked up slightly shocked. He knew Gaia carried a gun on her, she worked for Torchwood it was obvious, but he hadn't thought of this situation when barking at Mace.
"Well, er… you're you." The Doctor tried to compromise but Gaia's sceptical and unimpressed glare remained.
"I'm me. Right." Gaia rolled her eyes still unimpressed and slightly angry.
Gaia hadn't realised the sentiment in the Doctor's comment. Although the Doctor wouldn't admit it to himself, he had started to fall for the older gun wielding Planet Keeper and though he abhorred the use of guns, he couldn't deny the slight attraction he felt when he saw her using one.
Martha stood in the middle of this argument slightly unsure what to say. She had seen the Planet Keeper angry before, seen others who had been the focus of her anger… it was a position she hoped to never be in. Thankfully Donna came in preventing the feud from continuing further.
"Oi, you lot! All your storm troopers and you sonics… you're rubbish! Should've come with me." Donna said standing at the door.
"Why, where have you been?" The Doctor asked, his conversation with Gaia completely forgotten.
"Personnel. That's where the weird stuff's happening- in the paperwork. Cos I spent years working as a temp, I can find my way round an office blindfolded and the first thing I notice is an empty file." She declared and Gaia smiled, she could see why the Doctor chose her.
"Why, what's inside it? Or what's not inside it?" The Doctor asked again and Donna held up the empty file, revealing the sticky label on the side.
"Sick days." She read. "There aren't any. Hundreds of people working here and no one's ever sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip, nothing. Not ever! They don't get ill." Donna stated and at this point Colonel Mace had returned to the room. Hearing of Donna's findings he instantly flooded to the empty folder.
"That can't be right." He stated.
"You've been checking out the building- should've been checking out the workforce." Donna stated and Gaia couldn't keep the smile off her face.
"I can see why he likes you." Martha said, voicing Gaia's exact thoughts. Donna nodded, taking the compliment well.
"You are good." Gaia added.
"Super temp!" Donna joked and Gaia laughed, not noticing the Doctor's expression soften at the sound of it.
"Doctor Jones, set up a medical post, start examining the workers. I'll get them sent through." Mace ordered and left. Martha nodded in understanding.
"Come one Donna. Give me a hand." Martha offered and the 2 women left.
The Doctor chased after Mace down the corridor, Gaia matching his strides. "So this ATMOS thing, where did it come from?" The Doctor asked as he caught up to Mace.
"Luke Rattigan." Gaia answered before Mace could.
"Quite." Mace said through gritted teeth, slightly annoyed by the Planet Keepers input.
"Child genius. Invented the Foundation 6 search engine when he was 12, millionaire overnight. Now runs the Rattigan Academy. A private school, education students, handpicked from all over the world." Gaia continued and the Doctor looked impressed.
"A hothouse for geniuses, wouldn't mind going there." He commented and Mace looked at him puzzled. "I get lonely." The Doctor added and Gaia snorted in laughter.
The group continued to walk down the corridor, approaching one the ATMOS' loading bays, which was currently full of UNIT vehicles. Mace had ordered that they were going to visit the Rattigan academy, much to the Doctor's displeasure. "You are not coming with me!" The Doctor exclaimed. "I want to talk to this Luke Rattigan, not point a gun at him." The Doctor continued. Mace wasn't having it though.
"It's ten miles out of London. How are you going to get there?" Mace asked.
"Well then get me a jeep!" The Doctor exclaimed patting the hood of one of the vehicles as they passed.
"According to records you travel by TARDIS." Mace argued.
"Yes, but if there is a danger of hostile aliens I think it's best to keep a super-duper time machine away from the front lines." The Doctor retorted and Gaia rolled her eyes at the stupidity of the conversation.
"Alright, down boys. Colonel as per the agreement signed by the founders of UNIT in 1968, any member of Torchwood who requires equipment, medical care, information or transport is to be allowed it from UNIT. So chop-chop." Gaia stated to the Colonel, whose lips were now clenched in a straight line.
"Yes ma'am." He replied, his tone strict and void of any true emotion. "Jenkins!" He called over.
"Sir!" A young officer replied walking over to the group.
"You will accompany Gaia and take orders from her." Mace ordered and Ross nodded, getting the vehicle closest to them ready for leaving. Mace then left and was shortly replaced by Donna.
"Doctor…" She called as she came running over.
"Oh, just in time! Come on, we're going to the country. Fresh air and geniuses, what more could you ask." The Doctor replied. Gaia chuckled at the Doctor's comment and got into the vehicle, taking the seat beside Ross. She knew what was coming hence she allowed the Doctor and Donna to sit in the back together.
"So Ross, how long will it take us to get to the Rattigan academy?" Gaia asked the soldier sitting patiently in the driver's seat. The young man looked slightly taken aback at the fact that Gaia knew his first name, but he replied to the question none the less.
"About half an hour ma'am." He answered.
"Brilliant. We're going to need to make a slight diversion on our way, Donna wants to go back home." Gaia stated and Ross nodded, programing it into the ATMOS sat nav.
"Certainly ma'am." Ross replied.
"Don't call me ma'am it makes me feel old. Call me Gaia." Gaia whined and Ross couldn't help but slip a little smile on his lips.
"Certainly ma- Gaia." Ross said, correcting himself. Gaia chuckled at the soldiers slip up at Donna and the Doctor got into the jeeps.
"Broken moon of what?" Donna taunted as she clambered into the seat.
"I know, I know." The Doctor sighed a grin on his face.
After dropping Donna off in Chiswick, the Doctor clambered in the front seat with Gaia. Thankfully UNIT jeeps had 3 seats up front. "UNIT's been watching Rattigan Academy for ages." Ross explained to the duo. "It's all a bit Hitler Youth: exercises at dawn classes and special diets." Ross continued and Gaia and the Doctor nodded as they took the information in.
"Turn left." The Sat-Nav instructed. The Doctor eyed it wearily.
"Ross, on question. If UNIT think ATMOS is dodgy…" The Doctor began but Ross cut him off, understanding what he was getting to.
"How come we're got it in the jeeps? Yeah, tell me about it. They're fitted as standard on all government vehicles. We can't get rid of them until we prove something's wrong." Ross explained and the Doctor nodded before turning to Gaia.
"You lot don't have this, do you?" He asked. Gaia knew he was referring to Torchwood.
"No." She answered. "We don't tend to listen to Whitehall anymore." Gaia continued and the Doctor nodded solemnly. Putting his arm around her he squeezed her tight, understanding perfectly why herself and Jack may not listen to Whitehall anymore. "Tell you something for nothing though." Gaia added, her tone considerably lighter and happier. "If we did have it this Sat-Nav, it would-" The Sat-Nav cut her off.
"Turn right."
"-drive me round the bend." Gaia finished and Ross snorted in laughter. It took the Doctor a second to get her incredibly obvious joke.
"Oh nice one!" He finally responded after it sunk in.
"It's a gift." Gaia proclaimed and the Doctor rolled his eyes, not noticing when Gaia leant her head on his shoulder.
"This is your final destination." The Sat-Nav stated.
The Rattigan Academy was big to say the least. Set in an Edwardian manor house, it was huge and Gaia couldn't help but admit- beautiful. As seen as the UNIT jeep came to a halt, Gaia and the Doctor jumped out, Ross wasn't far behind. As the Doctor and Gaia approached the main entrance to the building, avoiding the jogging students, a boy no older than 21 came to meet them. The boy just happened to be the head and founder of the academy- Luke Rattigan.
"Is it PE? I wouldn't mind a kick around; I've got my chaps on. Eh, Gaia?" The Doctor began his tone light hearted and Gaia couldn't help but smile. Rattigan didn't look amused.
"I suppose you're the Doctor?" He said, his tone sounding very unimpressed. It seemed the Doctor was immune to his negativity though and with a smile, he replied:
"Hello."
"Your commanding officer phoned ahead" Luke stated, his tone no different from the first time he spoke.
"Ah, but I haven't got a commanding officer. Have you?" The Doctor retorted and although his tone was still light, everyone could hear the seriousness in his question. Luke glared at him before turning to Gaia.
"And you must be Gaia." He stated. Gaia snorted a little at the lack of introduction from the boy.
"And you must be Luke." She replied, in the same dreary tone. Luke gave her the same look he had given the Doctor.
"Oh this is Ross. Say hello Ross." The Doctor said cheerfully, breaking the tension between Gaia and Luke. Ross nodded his head.
"Afternoon, sir." He said politely to Luke.
No longer able to stand still the Doctor rushed towards the entrance, his hand entwined with Gaia's hence he was pulling her along for the ride. "Let's have a look then, I can smell genius!" The Doctor announced gleefully. Gaia slapped the Doctor on the soldier, unable to keep the smile off her face. The Doctor pouted. "In a good way." He said honestly and he entered the building, still pulling Gaia along with him.
The couple end up in a room full to the brim with science equipment and several students working on them. Still pulling Gaia, the Doctor rushed over to one. "Oh, now! That's clever, look." The Doctor proclaimed, putting his glasses on and admiring the device.
"Single molecule fabric." Gaia stated looking at the device, her own tone showing that she was impressed.
"I know, how thin is that? You could pack a tent in a thimble." The Doctor exclaimed and another device caught his eye.
After running around, dragging Gaia and proclaiming the marvel of each machine, the Doctor finally turned to look at Luke. "Do you know, with equipment like this you could… oh, I don't know, move to another planet or something?" The Doctor asked, although it sounded more of a statement.
"If only that was possible." Luke replied, looking mildly surprised that the Doctor and Gaia knew what the devices did.
"If only that were possible." Gaia corrected.
"Conditional clause." The Doctor added and Luke looked darkly at the pair, definitely not appreciating the correction.
"I think you better follow me." Luke stated and stalked off, leaving for Gaia, the Doctor and Ross to follow him.
The quartet end up in, what they presume to be, Luke's office. I large and spacious unlike the cramped lab and there is a large teleport device in the corner, noticed and understood by both Gaia and the Doctor.
"You're smarter than the usual UNIT grunts, I'll give you that." Luke stated and Gaia rose her eyebrow at the comment.
"Don't call Ross a grunt…" Gaia started angrily.
"…he's nice. We like Ross." The Doctor finished, although his tone wasn't as angry as Gaia's. "Look at this place." The Doctor continued, going to wander off around the room, leaving Gaia to glare at Luke.
"The ATMOS device, amazing piece of technology, don't you think Honey?" Gaia asked, her eyes never leaving Luke.
"Inspiring." The Doctor replied now turning to face Gaia, leaning up on the desk behind him.
"But the funny thing is, there's no way you invented this single handed." Gaia stated and Luke started to fume. "I mean, it might be Earth technology, but that's like finding a mobile in the Middle Ages." Gaia stated and the Doctor rolled his eyes.
"Once, I did that once." He argued waggling his finger at her. "Alright, unfortunately accurate metaphors aside. Do you know what it's really like? It's like finding this in the middle of someone's front room." The Doctor said walking over to the teleport device in the corner of the room.
"What is it?" Ross asked.
"Yeah just looks like a thing, doesn't it? People don't question things, they say `oh, it's just a thing`." The Doctor answered.
"Leave it alone!" Luke shouted. The Doctor ignores him and walks into the device.
"Me, well us." The Doctor began gesturing to Gaia. "We make these connections. And this, to us, looks like…" The Doctor disappeared before he could finish the sentence.
Ross looked gobsmacked and Luke looked peed off. "He'll be back in a moment." Gaia stated. Ross tore his gaze from where the Doctor had disappeared from over to her and nodded. 2 seconds later the Doctor reappeared and ran towards the group.
"Ross, get out! Luke, you've got to come with me!" He exclaimed as he ran over to them, but he wasn't quick enough. Behind he came another figure, a being of a much smaller stature and wearing an armour Gaia recognised instantly.
"Sontaran." She breathed rolling her eyes, trust the Doctor to annoy one of them. The Doctor fused the teleport, leaving the Sontaran trapped. Ross takes aim beside the Doctor, something Gaia hadn't done because she knew it was futile to do.
"I order you to surrender in the name of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce." Ross barked and the Doctor shot him down, metaphorically speaking.
"Well that's not going to work. Cordolaine signal, am I right? Copper excitation stopping the bullets." The Doctor explained.
"How do you know so much?" The Sontaran demanded.
"Well…" The Doctor dragged, playing with the tennis racket and ball he had pulled from somewhere.
"Who is he?" The Sontaran asked Luke. Luke very worriedly replied that he didn't know.
"This isn't typical Sontaran behaviour, is it? Hiding! Using teenagers, stopping bullets?" Gaia stated, her arms folded. The Doctor couldn't help but smile at her taunts.
"A Sontaran should face bullets with dignity! Shame on you!" The Doctor added getting a snort of laughter out of Gaia.
"You dishonour me!" The Sontaran stated angrily.
"Yeah, then show yourself!" The Doctor argued.
"I will look into my enemies' eyes!" The Sontaran declared and took of his helmet, revealing a brown, wrinkly, rounded head.
"Oh my god…" Ross muttered, shocked at the Sontaran appearance.
"And you name?" Gaia asked.
"General Staal, of the tenth Sontaran fleet. Staal the Undefeated!" The Sontaran, Staal, declared. The Doctor snorted.
"Well that's not a very good nickname. What if you get defeated? Staal the Not-Quite-So-Undefeated-Anymore-But-Never-Mind?" The Doctor joked and Gaia sniggered.
"He's like a potato- a baked potatoe- a talking baked potato." Ross gaped and Gaia couldn't help but give him credit for the amusing imagery.
"Now, Ross, don't be rude. You look like a pink weasel to him." Gaia commented. The Doctor, who is now standing beside her, started to bounce the tennis ball on his racket.
"The Sontarans are the finest soldiers in the galaxy, dedicated to a life of warfare." The Doctor began.
"There keeper had some issues." Gaia added and the Doctor nodded in agreement at her statement.
"They're a clone race, grown in batches of millions with only one weakness…" The Doctor continued. Gaia rolled her eyes, of course he would provoke it.
"Sontarans have no weakness." Staal argued.
"No, it's a good weakness." The Doctor whined.
"How's this poking it with a stick attempt going Honey?" Gaia asked the Doctor sarcastically. The Doctor shrugged.
"Pretty good…" He replied. "Anyway! Sontarans are fed by a probic vent in the back of their necks, that's their weak spot. Which means, they always have to face their enemies in battle… isn't that brilliant? They can never turn their backs!" The Doctor explained; Staal looked angry.
"We stare into the face of death!" He chanted. Gaia went pft, as the Doctor responded.
"Yeah? Well, stare at this!" The Doctor stated and whacked the tennis ball, it bounced off the teleport and hit the Sontaran in the back of the neck, causing it too fall to its need. Without needing to be told, the Doctor, Gaia and Ross ran out of the room and back to the jeep.
After escaping the school, not drowning to death by a haywire ATMOS and a rather lengthy walk, the Doctor and Gaia approached the front door of the Noble household. Donna opened the door, shocked to see them both standing there. "You would not believe the day we're having." The Doctor proclaimed and Donna looked dumbstruck.
Several minutes later, after a lengthy explanation about what had happened at the school, the Doctor and Gaia were checking Donna's car and the installed ATMOS device. "I'll requisition us a vehicle." Ross stated and started to walk down the road.
"Anything without ATMOS!" Gaia yelled after him.
"And don't point your gun at people!" The Doctor added with a shout, Gaia rolled her eyes at his comment. From behind Donna an elder man came running out.
"Is it him? Is it him? Is it the Doctor?" The man yelled, Gaia was too enthralled by the potentially life threatening ATMOS to find out who it was. The Doctor popped up from underneath the car to meet the man. "Ah it's you!" The Man went as the Doctor appeared.
"Who?" Gaia said popping her head out from beneath the hood.
"And you!" The man stated. Gaia managed to figure out that the man was Wilfred Mott, Donna's grandfather. Albeit knowing this, she still didn't know the man… so how did he know her?
"Oh it's you!" The Doctor exclaimed obviously recognising the man.
"What have you met before?" Donna asked shocked.
"Yeah Christmas Eve. He disappeared right in front of me! And then she came along a little later with a guy and bought a paper." Wilf explained.
"And you never said!" Donna exclaimed.
"Well you never said!" Wilf retorted. "Wif, Wilfred Mott. You must be one of them aliens?" Wilf said introducing himself to the Doctor and Gaia.
"Well- yeah, but don't shout it out." The Doctor replied a smile on his face and shook Wilf's hand. Gaia then shook it.
The Doctor then turned to Gaia. "Guy huh?" He stated, his tone sounding almost disappointed.
"Ermm, well… I haven't actually done that yet, so I haven't a clue what he's on about." Gaia explained and the Doctor nodded. He didn't bring it up again.
After a rather awkward phone call with Martha, both of whom the Doctor and Gaia could tell wasn't the real person, the duo got back to working on the car. "But you tried sonicing it before, you didn't find anything." Donna stated.
"Yeah, but now I know its Sontaran, I know what I'm looking for." The Doctor explained. Donna then turned to Gaia.
"You being awfully quiet." She commented. "You always get some snarky comment in on the Doctor." Donna continued. Gaia brushed her hands off on her trousers and turned to Donna about to reply, but the Doctor interrupted her.
"She hasn't done that yet Donna." He stated not taking his eye off the ATMOS.
"What? But you don't look any different." Donna said shocked. "You said you'd be much younger!" Donna proclaimed. Gaia shrugged.
"I don't age as fast as most people." Gaia stated.
"I bloody envy you right now." Donna stated and Gaia laughed.
All of a sudden the Doctor hits the right setting and spikes shoot out of the ATMOS. "Woah! It's a temporal pocket! I knew there was something else in there. It's hidden just a second out of sync with real time." The Doctor rambled.
"But what's it hiding?" Gaia asked, approaching the Doctor's side and as the last word left her lips the ATMOS started to spew white gas.
"Get back!" The Doctor shouted pulling Gaia away from the car. Pointing his sonic back at the ATMOS the gas stopped and everyone gasped for clean air. "That'll stop it!" The Doctor proclaimed and Gaia nodded heading back towards the hood of the car once the gas had cleared.
"That wasn't just exhaust fumes… some sort of gas. Artificial gas." Gaia stated turning to look at the Doctor worriedly.
"But if it's poisonous… then we've got poisonous gas in every car on Earth." Donna stated morbidly and Gaia gulped.
Before anyone could react Wilf jumped into the car. "It's not safe! I'm gonna get it off the street!" He stated not noticing the doors lock behind him. Suddenly the gas begins again, filling up the car as well as being released from the exhaust.
"Hold on!" The Doctor said starting to fiddle with his sonic. Gaia started to wrench at all the doors, whilst Donna banged on the window.
"Turn it off! Grandad, get out of there!" Donna yelled. Wilf held up the keys on the inside of the car.
"I can't. It's not locked." He stated.
"Doctor, Gaia, he's going to choke!" Donna yelled at them both desperately.
"It won't open." Gaia stated and the Doctor saw all the other cars start to billow gas as well.
"It's the whole world…" The Doctor muttered.
"Get me out of here!" Wilf shouted banging on the window.