Hi, all, well, here's chapter 45, School Reunion part four. Now, until five minutes ago, I wasn't a happy camper, 'cause I'd just gotten anothe bad review from the Hypocrite themselves, Dead Composer, and I've just replied and I'm very proud of myself, 'cause I didn't go overboard, I replied and then, just for self preservation or something, I blocked that user as my sanity cannot take another of their ridiculous reviews. Anyway, on with the story. Also, I'm sorry for any errors that occur in this chapter, I'm exhuasted and can't wait for the Christmas hols so that I can sleep late on the days I'm meant to be at college and I can just work at the shop
The next morning, Sarah Jane picked up the Doctor, Rose and Mickey from the Powell Estate and drove them to the school.
--
They arrived just as the bell was ringing. "Rose and Sarah, you go to the maths room. Crack open those computers." the Doctor said as he took out the sonic screwdriver "I want to see the hardware inside. Here you might need this." he handed it to Sarah Jane. Mickey, surveilance, I want you outside."
"Just stand outside?"
Sarah Jane tossed him her car keys "Here take these." she said "You can keep K9 company."
"Don't forget to leave the window open a crack." the Doctor said
"He's metal!"
"I didn't mean for him."
"What are you gonna do?" Rose asked
"It's time I had a word with Mr Finch." the Doctor replied.
--
They entered the school and the Doctor led Rose and Sarah back to the computer room. "Okay." said Sarah Jane "There's something going on with you two and I want to know what it is."
"Not now, eh? Sarah Jane." said the Doctor "We'll tell you later." He turned around and left the room. He stood at the top of the stairs, looking down, scanning for Mr Finch. When he found him, he turned and walked away.
--
He entered the swimming pool and stood on one side of it, Finch stood on the other. "Who are you?" the Doctor asked
"My name is Brother Lassar." the headmaster answered "And you?"
"The Doctor." he answered "Since when did Krillitanes have wings?"
"It's been our form for nearly 10 generations now." Lassar answered "Our ancestors invaded Bessan. The people there had some rather lovely wings. They made a million widows in one day, just imagine."
"And now your shape's human." the Doctor said
"A personal favourite, that's all"
"And the others?"
"My brothers remain bat form." he answered "What you see is a simple morphic illusion. Scratch the surface and the true Krillitane lies beneath. And what of the Time Lords? I always thought of you as such a pompous race. Ancient, dusty senators. So frightened of change and chaos. And of course, they're all but extinct. Only you. The last."
"This plan of yours, what is it?"
"You don't know?"
"That's why I'm asking."
"Well, show me how clever you are." he said "Work it out."
"If I don't like it, then it will stop."
"Fascinating. Your people were peaceful to the point of indolence. You seem to be something new. Would you declare war on us, Doctor?"
"I'm so old now." the Doctor said "I used to have so much mercy. You get one warning. That was it." He turned to walk away.
"But we're not even enemies. Soon, you will embrace us. The next time we meet, you will join with me. I promise you." Finch walked away and the Doctor left too.
He walked back to the computer room, still clueless as to what their plan actually was.
--
Sarah Jane was trying to use the sonic screwdriver on the computers "It's not working." she said
"Give it to me." Rose said
"Used to work first time in my day."
"Well, things were a lot simpler back then."
"Rose, can I give you a bit of advice?"
"I've got a feeling you're about too."
"I know how intense a relationship with the Doctor can be and I don't want you to feel like I'm intruding..."
"I don't feel threatened by you, if that's what you mean."
"Right. Good." said Sarah "Because I'm not interested in picking up where we left off."
"No?" asked Rose "With the big sad eyes and the robot dog, what else were you doing last night?"
"I was just saying how hard it was, adjusting to life back on Earth."
"The thing is, when you two met, they'd only just gotten rid of rationning." said Rose "No wonder all that space stuff was a bit too much for you."
"I had no problem with space stuff." Sarah Jane said "I saw things you wouldn't believe."
"Try me."
"Mummies."
"I've met ghosts."
"Robots." said Sarah Jane "Lots of robots."
"Slitheen, in Downing Street."
"Daleks."
"Met the Emperor."
"Antimatter monsters!"
"Gas mask zombies!"
"Real living dinosaurs!"
"Real lining werewolf."
"The Loch Ness monster!"
"Seriously?"
"Oh." said Sarah Jane covering her mouth with her hands, realising what they had just been doing. Rose laughed a little
"Listen to us." she said "It's like me and my mate Shareen, the only time we fell out was over a man. And we're arguing over the Doctor." she paused "With you, did he do that thing where he'd explain something at like 90 miles per hour, and you'd go 'what?' and he'd look at you like you'd just dribbled on your shirt?"
"All the time." Sarah answered. "Does he still stroke bits of the Tardis?"
"Yeah! Yeah, he does!" Rose answered "I'm like, 'Do you two want to be alone?'" the two of them started to laugh and then the Doctor came in
"How's it going?" he asked and the two of them continued to laugh "What?" they kept laughing "Listen, I need to find out what's programmed inside these." Neither one of them stopped laughing, infact they started to laugh harder "What? Stop it." The two of them eventually stopped, but that was only because the PA system came on and the children were told to get back to their classes.
Rose stood at the door to prevent children from entering the room "No, no, this classroom's out of bounds." she said to the children who were trying to get in "You've all got to go to the south hall. Off you go, south hall."
The Doctor tried to get into the computers "I can't shift it." he said
"I thought the sonic screwdriver could open anything." Sarah Jane said
"Anything except a deadlock seal." the Doctor replied "There's got to be something inside here. What are they teaching those kids."
Something suddenly came up on all of the computer screens in the room "You wanted the programme." said Sarah Jane "There it is."
The Doctor turned around and looked at the screen on the wall "Some sort of code." he said. He continued to look at the programme, trying to work out what the Krillitanes were up to "No." he said "No, they can't be. The Skasas Paradigm. They're trying to crack the Skasas Paradigm."
"The Skasas what?" asked Sarah Jane.
"The god-maker." answered the Doctor "The universal theory. Crack that equation and you've got control of the building blocks of the universe. Time and space and matter, yours to control."
"What, and the kids are like a giant comptuer?" Rose asked
"Yes." he answered. "And their learning power is being accelerated by the oil. That oil from the kitchens works as a conducting agent, makes the kids cleverer."
"But that oils on the chips." Rose said "I've been eating them."
"What's 59 times 35?"
"2065." Rose answered and the Doctor looked at her "Oh, my God!"
"But why use children?" asked Sarah Jane "Cant' they use adults?"
"No, it's got to be children." he answered "The god-maker needs imagination to crack it. They're not just using the childrens' brains to break the code, they're using their souls."
"Let the lesson begin." said Mr Finch as he entered. "Think of it, Doctor. With the Paradigm solved, reality becomes clay in our hands. We can shape the universe and improve it."
"Oh, yeah, the whole of creation with the face of Mr Finch." said the Doctor "Call me old fashioned, but I like things as they are."
"You act like such a radical and yet all you want to do is preserve the old order. Think of the changes that could be made if this power was used for good."
"What, by someone like you?"
"No. Someone like you." Mr Finch answered "The Paradigm gives us power, but you could give us wisdom. Become a god at my side. Imagine what you could do. Think of the cilisations you could save. Perganon, Ascinta, your own people, Doctor. Standing tall. The Time Lords...reborn."
"Doctor, don't listen to him." said Sarah Jane
"And you could be with him throughout eternity. Young, fresh. Never wither, never age, never die. Their lives are so fleeting. So many goodbyes. How lonely you must be, Doctor. Join us."
"I could save everyone."
"Yes."
"I could stop the war."
"No." said Sarah Jane "The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it's a world or a relationship. Everything has its time and everything ends."
The Doctor picked up a chair and launched it at the screen, shattering it, with turned off every computer in the room. He grabbed Rose's hand "Out!" he said and the three of them ran out of the room. They ran into Mickey at the bottom of the stairs
"What is going on?" Mickey asked. They saw the Krillitanes and they ran. They didn't stop running until they reached the canteen.
Okay and that's as good a place as any to end this chapter, the final part of School Reunion will be up soon.
TTFN
Julie