It was a simple trip up onto another planet, he said. The Doctor then proceeded to ramble on about some things I cared not for, but he did prod me in the head several times whilst labelling me as 'potato'. Personally, I was hoping that we would capture the planet and force the natives into submission, but he said the visit was for 'fun'. We Sontarans know no concept of 'fun'! How dare he offend my honour!
The last thing I remember before the world going black (temporarily) was the Doctor's battleship jerking about violently. I suggested it was a major malfunction, but I was thrown backwards in the force. I awoke with the Madame and the boy looming over me (most uncomfortably intimate, I must add), saying that I had been knocked out in-flight. Unfortunately, it was not fatal.
The world outside was remarkably similar to our planet of 'London', but considerably brighter. Even the Doctor seemed a little deflated as he strode out, labelling the world as 'parallel' and 'seen it, been there, done it'. However, I wanted to purge this world of its filth, watch the blood run down the streets and drag it under the territory of the Great Sontaran Empire. The best way to go about this was, of course, bring down the most powerful being on the planet, and then force the inhabitants to their knees.
My common sense told me (the boy often said that I have no common sense. Of course I do! All Sontarans are created with common sense! It's simple: war. How difficult can that be?) that the most powerful being would be positioned in the tallest structure, and that meant that the pure silver tower up ahead would house my first victim of this planet.
I heard the cries and angry shouts of the Doctor, Madame and the boy behind me, but this was a new planet, with new opportunities, and I had to regain my honour! I've been a nurse far too long for me to even die honourably (it's almost impossible not to die honourably, according to Sontaran laws)!
I stormed into the tower, creating cries of terror and fear from the puny beings around me. Oh, how long it's been since I had wallowed in the sound of terror! The technology on this planet seemed to be impressively advanced (excellent, we can pillage this technology when the civilians are in our mercy!), as the next thing I knew, I was seemingly at the top of the tower, as were the Doctor , Madame and the boy.
"Strax! What have I told you about wandering off?" Madame Vastra hissed. I grumbled, wishing that they only understood the glory of conquering other planets. What was wrong with them?
"So, intruders on my planet? And...A human...How very intriguing," drawled a voice coming from the stairs up ahead. So, it seemed we weren't at the pinnacle, but the floor underneath. It seems the enemy is too cowardly to meet their end immediately!
"No, how...?" asked the Doctor, apparently to no-one in particular as we neared the top of the stair case. Nevertheless, I asked if he needed my assistance.
"Shall I destroy them?" I asked helpfully.
"Shut it, Strax," the boy replied. How very rude, I was trying to help!
"Oh, a Sontaran's in the gang. Haven't seen one of them in years. 137 years, to be exact. Been inside one; wasn't comfortable at all. Too clunky, no grace at all." I couldn't determine what gender the voice was, but I think it was a female.
The room at the top was completely white, and seemingly lit from every surface. At the far end was a circular frame with a small tank underneath it. Held by small pegs dotted in the edge of the frame was...skin?
"Had a bit of a makeover, haven't you? Doesn't suit you, to be honest. But I like the circle thing," said the Doctor. He had one of those dark looks on, like the one he permanently wore during his depressed stay on 'London'.
"Hmm, I'm not the only one who's had a makeover now, am I? A bowtie though? Really, I expected better of you, Doctor."
"Who is she, Doctor?" the boy asked. Ah, so the circle-thing was a she! I knew it!
"This-" he pointed accusingly at the circle, "-is Lady Cassandra O'Brien dot Delta Seventeen. And she shouldn't be alive."
"Now that we are acquainted, now shall I destroy it, sir?" I offered again.
"No Strax," he replied darkly, slowly approaching the circle. "I must say, Cassandra, you've never looked worse."
At this, I must disagree. The circular frame was holding a piece of skin with eyes and a mouth implanted in. The main piece of skin itself consisted of smaller, irregular pieces of skin, all stitched together neatly. Words cannot describe my awe. The battle scars on this 'Cassandra' were inspiring. Or even better, they were the flesh of her enemies sewn onto herself. Or a bad accident with motion-sensitive drill-blades.
"Would you accept the honour of being destroyed and be mounted upon my trophy wall?" I asked her. Behind me, I heard the Doctor quietly ask the Madame if I actually had a trophy wall, which she confirmed as well as saying it 'was the only way to keep him quiet'.
"Strax, shut up fer a sec. What are you?" the boy asked the skin. Cassandra smiled up at her, the stitches and scars shifting around her mouth.
"I am the last pure human."
There was a look of confusion, anger and bewilderment from the boy, who retreated back to Madame. The Doctor continued staring menacingly at the piece of skin.
"So what happened to you? Your mind died, and so did your skin. In fact, you willingly died."
"Can I please destroy it now sir?"
"This is the last sections of my skin. All stitched together, a little bit from everywhere. Retrieving my mind was no issue seeing as it had no physical form in the first place. As for the 'willingly' bit...seeing my old self again reminded me how much I'd left out in life. Yes, I was an aristocrat, but I never ruled."
This conversation was really testing my patience. Too much talking, not enough bloodshed. When could I finally get to rule this planet?
"However, Doctor, I've been here too long. I've been thinking back to your words on Platform One; I've finally come to the terms: everything has its time, and everything dies."
I looked up at the Doctor, who looked somewhat suspicious. I, myself was confused. This is no glorious way to die! Did she want a glorious, blood-stained death? I could easily assist.
"However, I can't leave this planet leaderless. I've not built a beautifully pure human race for it to be thrown away, and I had a feeling you'd have one with you Doctor."
I noticed that the boy had held onto Madame just a tiny bit tighter than usual. Pah, cowardice.
The Doctor stepped even closer to Cassandra. I still couldn't see why this Cassandra was still alive. After all, as far as I could see, she was absolutely defenceless and of no significant use.
"And what's wrong with these so-called 'pure-humans' you rule? Why not elect one of them to rule?" he growled.
The piece of skin smirked.
"Reveal your battle-plan, girl!" I barked. Did I mention I had next to no patience?
"Doctor, you always choose your companions wisely, and for a reason. I need a strong leader, none of those sheep down below. They follow instructions without question—no character whatsoever."
At this point, I think I actually caught on.
"You will NOT take one of MY comrades!" I boomed, readying my standard-issue laser gun.
"You will not take Jenny," the Doctor added, at the same time, pushing down my gun.
The Cassandra skin ignored us all, instead talking directly to the boy.
"Rule this city below. It can be all yours. Be like me: pure. Leave these impurities behind, have what I have."
At this, both the Madame and the boy stepped forward. They talked at the same time, but what managed to gather was something along the lines of the Madame snarling "Over my dead body, you bi-" and the boy shouting "How dare you call my wife an impurity!"
"You're married? To this lizard? Tsk, never mind Doctor, I need a pure h—"
The skin thing never finished her sentence, as the Madame and her boy tore it apart with their swords.
"I wanted to destroy it!" I argued indignantly, even as the last sections of skin fluttered to the ground. With a hiss, the Madame smashed the tank holding the skin's brain. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.
The Doctor looked a little odd at this point, even for his standards. He seemed to be standing absolutely still with his mouth opening and shutting periodically. Perhaps he was asphyxiating?
"Gawd, what a bit—..."
The boy's speech blanked out in my mind as I focused on the skin littering the floor. Then, the best idea since sliced mines came to me.
"Doctor...Madame...boy? Would it be acceptable for me to stitch the remnants of the Cassandra into a chair?"
Soldier's Footnotes: With thanks to soldier artsoccer, who provided the trigger words 'comfy chairs' and 'b****y trampoline'. May we meet on the field of war, where I will obliterate you for the Greater Glory of the Sontaran Empire!
Human's Notes: Strax isn't the most descriptive POV to write in, so if it seemed a bit dry, that's Strax for you.