Doctor Who
BodySwap
Featuring the Ninth Doctor and the Tenth Doctor
Chapter Four: The Zygon Backstory Part 1
"It's no wonder the truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense" -Mark Twain
The following takes place between Journey's End and The Next Doctor
Zygon Invasion Fleet: In orbit above Cryla
The Zygon fleet, a 50 strong invasion fleet above the planet Cryla.
Cryla was prominently a planet consisting of 90% water covering its surface, with tiny settlements scatted across the vast surface at points of business and convenience. It had traded with nearby planets and stars, its main export being the almox coral found on the seabed. It was the only planet in the solar system almox coral could be found. It was traded with certain settlements on Sontar and with the Draconians, and used in the construction on body armour, assault weapons and transport. It had an in-built alloy that allowed for mobility and strength at the same time; for construction it allowed strength and added speed and manoeuvrability, for weapons; added extra strength and a bigger blast radius, for armour; it was the bonding that held it all together.
That was not the reason for the Zygon invasion fleet surrounding the planet. They had no use for the coral; it was a minor burden in their overall plans. They used those types of planets for the raising and training of Skarasens, Zygon trainers stayed on planet to training and study new battle techniques, how to adapt Skarasen's for all terrains that the Sontaran's may encounter in their invasions.
Exor left his command centre and walked along the water bank, past two Zygon trainers who were testing the resistance of fire on the Skarasen's body with flamethrowers. They saluted to Exor who regarded them with a slight nod, more concerned with the task at hand. Crossing a wooden bridge across a small body of water, he stopped and glanced out across the water in a rare moment of reflection.
He was huge compared to the other Zygons, his siblings were the same, but sadly many of them had passed on in various conflicts. His older brother Dexan was alive but was currently in the middle of a battle over various settlements against Cybermen in the alpha core. Exor himself was meant to be the support, but word from his leaders had forced him to babysit the younger troops who were left with the Skarasen training, all because he had ordered his troops to retreat against the overwhelming Ice Warrior forces during a routine scavenging mission a few months earlier.
That was how he found himself stood beside a Skarasen training pool, regretting his breeding and his life and the dead-end mission he had been ordered to do. As he stubbed out his x-stick on the cliff, he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see General Malkor approaching with a stern look on his face. He was one of a select few Zygons he respected and was glad was accompanying him on this water-filled cesspool of a planet.
"Enjoying the fresh air Commander?" Malkor asked, joining him by the river.
Exor crossed his arms and growled in his gut, distracting himself by staring at a Skarasen diving below the water. He blinked several times and addressed Malkor.
"This assignment is absolutely wasteful of our talents. Have you seen Bexmor?"
Malkor nodded and looked upwards to the top of the cliff, where another Zygon stood there holding and rifle, aiming at the water and shooting small fish that was the main food source of the Skarasens. He was an expert sniper, it was his special talent that he taught younger cadets. This, along with Exor's stealth and Malkor's strength, offered the younger cadets a menagerie of skills that allowed them to approach every situation and tactic against every energy.
Bexmor saw them both and in one fluid motion, had dived off the cliff top and landed in a crouched position by their feet. Rising to his feet, he regarded them with a small nod and joined them glancing out across the ponds.
The three Zygon soldiers stood there, glancing out across the ponds with little words or sounds shared or expressed between them.
"You are a good shop Bexmor. Care for a little wager?" Malkor smirked, folding his arms almost ceremoniously.
Exor spat and closed his eyes, feeling the cold shallow wind wash over his skin. A untold fact he had never shared with anyone was that he enjoyed the water and the smell of the salt that flared in his nostrils and scalded his skin until he was happy, an aspect and emotion that very few Zygons had; if they did have them they were usually associated with war.
They hated Sontarans, but they seemed to share the same similarities in certain aspects.
"I've just seen Axar" Bexmor suddenly addressed Exor. "He says he needs to see you immediately"
"Thanks for letting me know" Exor replied, leaving them to their game.
-Doctor Who-
"You're needed on the front-lines"
Exor ruffled at Axar's words as they both stood in the command cavern. Axar was the Zygon in charge of the entire operation, Exor being his second-in-command. Being smaller than him, Exor hated taking orders from him at the best of times, but Axar had proven himself in combat and beaten him in hand-to-hand combat on many occasions. He was small but his strength and skill more than made up for his size.
"The Sontaran campaign not going well, even with the aid of the Rutans?"
"Those Rutan dogs can only offer so much advice. The Rutan chancellors we dealt with only dealt with millennia-old intelligence. Sontarans only have one probic vent now, not like the old texts they used dictate"
Exor had to admire the Sontarn evolution; while the typical Zygon biology had pretty much gone unchanged in recent millennia, the Sontaran biology had changed dramatically and suited their hateful and lustful believes for the better. The DNA of the clones of the first Age had been passed on to the current generations, but each batch presented advancements in battle techniques for the brain and body, bigger bodies for durability, and the such.
The Sontarans were constantly changing in unseen ways; while the Zygon evolution had pretty much stood still.
"Well, you know the Sontarans, each skirmish with them gives us new insight into their techniques. Eventually, they'll reach their peak and we can crush them forever. For the sake of the Zygon empire, and the whole universe. We'll even be a match for the Daleks" Exor said dismissively.
"Unfortunately, we cannot wait. The Sontaran army have reached the Mardarian Reach and overthrown our Blanken outpost" Axar determined as he moved to his console and brought up a strategy map of the current skirmish under discussion.
"We could launch a Skarasen Zero strike towards Blanken, confuse the Sontaran army before my landing party engage them" Exor strategized as he brought up some other data from his handheld.
Axar nodded in silent agreement. "Take Grufnox Regiment with Bexmor and Malkor. The campaign needs our best"
Exor nodded and saluted, exiting the cavern and preparing for war.
-Doctor Who-
Blanken Outpost; 6 Vi Cycles Later
The Sontarn troop raised his assault rifle just as Malkor and a Zygon grunt barrelled over the lunar crust. One barb string stuck it in the face as Malkor swept his own rifle up and into the Sontaran's chin. He tumbled, the momentum carried more by Malkor as he slammed him into the ground and snapped his neck.
A supported 2 man Zygon team; one of the deadliest forces in the cosmos.
Exor, Bexmor and the rest of their squad emerged from teleport hubs, taking down the upcoming Sontarans who tried to rush their location. Single shot bursts was all it took.
"Bexmor, take the squad to Point A and kill the stragglers. Malkor, prepare rocket charges and breach at Point B. I'll go in through the observation port and take the Sontaran commander"
Three-way agreement. They moved like a single unit, undertaking their ordered tasks. 6 Sontaran commandos met their deaths at the hand of Bexmor and his squad; Malkor and his squad breached the base with the use of rocket launchers, and Exor and his squad pushed through the back and surprised the Sontaran squad. Only their leader survived, hidden behind a command console as the Zygons troops gathered together and raised their weapons.
"Command Wilx on Sontaran Command Zilton. Your troops are dead, surrender immediately or we will terminate you"
"You know the Sontaran rules of engagement, so you know that is not an option. It seems we have a stalemate"
The three Zygon leaders looked at each other in mock surprise, inching forward slightly to gain a slight advantage to this showdown. The Sontaran risked a look over the console and ducked as one of the Zygon grunts risked a shot, which missed and resulted in his death at the hand of Bexmor for insubordination.
"You do realise, Sontaran scum, that we could easily terminate you. All that matters now is how quick you want to die" Malkor mocked, nodding at Exor and Bexmor who realised the plan.
Programme 7; a perfected manevour practiced between friends for hostage situations.
Bexmor rushed forward to the left, causing Wilx to move and open fire with his rifle. He spotted Malkor behind him doing the same, trying to corner him in a vice-like trap. He pulled out a second hand blaster, fired a shot at Malkor who ducked and leapt over. Almost suddenly, Exor had a hold of Wilx around the middle with a knife buried in his side. He punched out, sending Exor flying backwards. He blasted at Bexmor and Malkor and caused them to back over, taking cover behind some counters as Exor found his feet and smirked.
The knife, buried up to the hilt, started to glow a deep red.
A detonation bomb, built into the knife, the perfect undercover Zygon weapon perfected by their oldest scientists and weapon specialists.
The Sontaran ignited, exploded, ceased to exist.
All that remained of the Sontaran forces.
Nothing.
-Doctor Who-
Their craft was taking them to the epicentre of the war, the star system Maximalforix. Full of planets made of nothing but molten liquid, the Sontarans wanted these planets for their clone factories and weapon creation. But the Rutans had to stop them from achieving their goals, going to such lengths as to send communications to legendary old foes the Zygons. They suddenly had a common enemy; the two empires joined forces to stop the Sontaran marching across the stars and enslaving countless worlds.
That was 7 cycles ago, and lot of heroes had fallen at the gun barrels of both sides. Both sides had had their victories, and their loses, their disappointments. While many other skirmishes were taken places in and around the fringes, the war would ultimately be won or lost in Maximalforix.
Next: The Zygon Backstory Part 2