15
THREE AMIGOS
It was a world of four bare grey walls, a floor and a ceiling, a world so tiny it had only three occupants, three men not native to this world and not willing occupants of it.
The cell had no obvious door, no windows and whilst it was lighted the means by which this was done was far from obvious. There was oxygen and gravity so the men wouldn't die, unless it was by boredom.
One of them, dressed in some kind of uniform of tunic and black pants with a logo on his left breast was trying to prize loose a side panel, he was having little success but being tenacious by nature he refused to give up.
The second man who was burly with a thick tangle of dark curls was inspecting an area of floor as though a means of escape could be found there. He wore a leather jerkin and high boots and had about him the look of a rebel, one who spurned authority.
The last man was the oddest of all, he didn't seem to fit any stereotype, he held in his hand a thin metal tube with a glowing tip and he was angling this back and forth making it buzz and whine, then he lifted it above his head and peered at a tiny readout just barely visible – if you had amazing eyesight, which he did, in fact he was amazing in many ways few of them immediately obvious.
Grunting with frustration Kirk glanced up his features turning puce, "Must you make that annoying sound," his accent was American, mid west but educated.
The second man glanced up, "How come you got to keep that and we lost all our equipment," his voice had a soft Welsh lilt; it was gruff and also abrasive?
Switching his device off the Doctor smiled at his two companions; men forced together by circumstances and design by the conspiracy of others.
"Kirk," he said jovially, "Blake," he smiled lopsidedly at both, "Kirk and Blake or maybe Blake and Kirk if you want to be alphabetical; fancy meeting you both here," the sonic went in a pocket, "Same place, same time, same reality, if this is real."
Punching the wall softly James Kirk studied the odd man in the bow tie with a mix of amusement and frustration, "Feels real enough to me, quite solid in fact with no way out."
Blake nodded assent, "We've been trying for what feels like ages, this cell is pretty secure, I can't find any joints."
The doctor nodded, "Well you wouldn't you're not meant to, it's a solid cast, molecular bonding."
"Yet," said Kirk, "We can breathe, we have warmth and light, food and water appears…somehow, whoever they are they don't want us dead."
Blake added, "Like specimens in a jar, but why don't they talk to us, interrogate us, what is the point of incarceration."
"Psychological torture," Kirk offered, "Trying to break our resolve?"
"But to what end," Blake objected, "What exactly do they want, even that isn't clear."
"Yes it is," the doctor seemed to be in his element, unlike the other two he displayed no anger or restlessness, "They want us three in the same place at the same time and that's exactly what's happened, a star ship captain, a federation rebel and…well me."
"But why Doctor," Kirk's frustration added an edge to his voice a growl, "Why us three what for?"
"Something we have in common perhaps," Blake speculated, "A knowledge or experience we share, after all we're quite different."
"Are we," the doctor could be annoying at times and he knew it, vague and obtuse, "I wonder," he went on, "We all three of travel extensively to various worlds, we get involved, make a difference, right wrongs, upset tyranny, free the oppressed – maybe that's why we're here we've trodden on some toes, if these beings have toes of course."
Kirk cottoned on quickly, "A shared enemy who may have been behind our various activities, unseen pulling the strings; yes it makes sense."
Blake said, "It doesn't explain their reluctance to appear before us, why lock us up and leave us to it; you'd think they'd want to gloat or something to get right in our faces and tell us where we've gone wrong."
Kirk winced as if this had been bothering him to, his opponents weren't usually so shy, "It's not like this cell holds any kind of message for us to decipher, any clues or hints."
Clicking his long fingers the Doctor said, "So the clue must be in how we were brought here, the method of our abduction; something we all shared or saw."
Kirk said, "I saw nothing."
"Me neither," Blake agreed.
This wasn't good enough for the man with the bow tie, "Tell me exactly what you were doing just before you came here, don't miss anything out, this is important maybe even vital; Kirk you start."
Away-team assembled in the transporter room Kirk nodded to Scotty who took his place behind the control terminal replacing a younger less experienced operator called Melanie, a slim blond girl of about 20 who studied Kirk as women tended to do and he threw her a slight smile, later he thought when I get back we might get to know each other better.
"Exact location Mr Scott we have to pinpoint exactly where the distress beacon is coming from, the planet is M-class so we don't need any special apparatus other than phasers and tricorders; right Spock?"
A tall thin man just behind Kirk nodded once he was not someone who wasted words.
"The signal is still detectable," said the engineer in his Scottish burr, "I shouldn't have any trouble putting right in this guy's lap, if it is a guy."
"Good enough," Kirk turned to his team – Spock, McCoy and the girl Melanie who was coming with them due to her specialist knowledge, she was an expert in…Kirk frowned, it wasn't like him to just forget such a detail maybe he'd ask her when they got down.
"Phasers on stun," he said routinely, there was no hint of danger but the distress beacon indicated something was wrong. They took their places on the transport energy rings and Kirk nodded to Scott.
It was a field that materialised before Jim, grass, clay and arrows of something like wheat or corn, he was reminded of home, the planet was warm with a gorgeous skyline and distant hills. What had Spock called it, gamma 259, a bleak expression for such a beautiful locale he was smitten.
"Where's this beacon then," McCoy as ever had to grumble but he was right there was no sign of any device, "We are sure this is the right place aren't we Jim?"
Spock said, "It corresponds to the coordinates we have, I see no error," blunt and literal the Vulcan displayed a complete absence off emotion in his flat tone, tricorder raised he began to scan, "The beacon is definitely here captain."
Only it wasn't Jim turned in a slow circle seeing wheat, trees, more wheat and grass but no technology, could the machine be cloaked in some way but what about its user, where was he, hadn't he indicated that his plight was urgent?
Then Kirk's vision fixed on something odd a curve in the air, a bending of light it was like the sky was curving towards him and he fell back slightly dazed, he called to his compatriots but it was the girl Melanie who caught him and she was smiling, totally unphased like this didn't bother her at all.
She was an ensign and he was a captain yet it was she who seemed to be in control; then she kissed him right on the lips she kissed him as a lover would with bold assurance that he would enjoy it and respond, and he did he couldn't help himself.
He was after all Jim Kirk ladies man and she was one hot blond so he kissed her right back, he took her in his arms and…
"Then I was here in this room," said Kirk his voice echoed slightly due to the acoustics of the cell, "I kissed a girl and she stole a lot more than just my heart," the smile was ironic.
Thoughtful the doctor paced back and forth, "So you beamed down to an unknown planet, one you'd never seen before, it was M-class and safe or so you thought but you were drawn there by some signal 'help me' something like that, anything odd about the planet?"
Kirk shook his head nothing at all as far as...wait there had been something just before the kiss, the sky had been wrong, the air curved and inverted, light was bending.
"Right before Melanie came on to me I thought I saw," Kirk shook his head unsure what words to use, "I don't know exactly the air and the sky were wrong, distorted."
"Go on," Blake urged, "Distorted in what way," he seemed very keen to know like it was important to him and with a frown the Doctor turned.
"You next Roj tell us how you got here, what were you doing before this happened?"
Narrow and slippery the metal gantry led from a large cylindrical core to a series of ladders going up and down. Blake ran in a semi-crouch to avoid the blaster fire of the federation guards, black clad and visor wearing figures closing in on him from all sides. Magnesium white the flare blinded Blake who sank to his knees face streaked with sweat and grime, he lifted his wrist.
"Liberator, come in Liberator; I need teleport now."
Silence not even static, it must be the magnetron at the heart of the secret facility, the one Blake was trying to escape from.
"Vila, Jenna," he snarled then another small explosion blinded him throwing him on his back. Hearing shouts and running boots he rolled onto all-fours and crawled to the nearest ladder. If he could just reach the service hatch on level 3 he'd be fine, once outside he could disappear into the vast dense jungle.
"That's far enough," the voice chilled his blood, a black clad fed cop stood only feet away blaster levelled at his heart, "Blake," the man rasped, "I thought it was you," his weapon powered up, "There's a nice fat bonus for the man who takes you down," Blake felt his mouth go dry he was completely cornered with no way out if he moved this man would cut him down and with no teleport it was game-over.
A shot, loud and strident a buzzing crack, Roj waited for the burning pain that would mean the end of his life – but it never came.
"Come on Blake," a female voice and he saw her, a blond girl in jungle fatigues, brown boots with a crimson head band, she carried a fed gun probably stolen and had used it to cut the cop down. On his feet he ran over with thanks on his lips but she was having none of it.
"Magda, now let's get out of here."
Blake blinked in surprise, "You're Magda," he could hardly believe it, tall and slender with wide shoulders and bright eyes she was beautiful, "The rebel leader?"
"Obviously now let's go," it was a relief to get outside into the humidity and smell of the swamp, "Did you set the bomb?"
Blake nodded they had less than a minute, "I can't teleport out there's no signal."
Magda didn't seem all that surprised, "There will be near water, give me a bracelet."
"You want to come with me to the Liberator?"
"I want to escape the radioactive fallout when this place goes up."
By water she meant a pond a big round pond with lily pads and ringed by thin barked trees, but there was something wrong in the air over the water it seemed to bend towards him to curve in an alarming way as if reality was contracting around him.
"Magda," he turned to look at the girl but she wasn't there anymore so he reached for his bracelet…that to had gone.
Eyes gleaming the Doctor studied Blake with a knowing smile, "A girl a blond girl just like you Kirk, describe her Roj."
Blake didn't have to think very hard, "early twenties, slim, tall, high cheekbones, green eyes."
Jim Kirk reacted at once, "That's Melanie," he said, "My ensign."
But Blake was confused, "This girl was on a planet called Pyro Sigma right on the edge of Taurus, how could she be the same, I'm from a different era to you Kirk a different reality."
"But the description," Kirk argued, "Size, height, age, eyes."
"Yes," said the Doctor, "It does sound like the same person and you both met her just before you came here, it's too much of a coincidence."
Blake slumped, "So Melanie and Magda are the same person or rather being because she can't be human, a lure, bait in a trap."
"Or," snapped the time lord, "The trap itself."
Kirk was confused, "Explain."
But the Doctor couldn't not fully, not yet he was still formulating a theory, "How interesting you both meet the same person and she fits into your reality perfectly, so well that you don't even question her presence."
Blake stared at him, "So what about you doctor did you meet this blond girl as well, is that how you came to be here?"
Kirk was curious to eager for the next piece of the puzzle so the Doctor provided it.
Emerging from the TARDIS the Doctor gave a sign of relief, oh good somewhere nice, ordinary and green with a sky. Kate was inside having a power shower after a particularly messy adventure in a slimy, disgusting, filth inducing location. Annoyingly the Doctor's skin, hair and clothing could clean itself which it did quite rapidly without the need of soap and water; something that frustrated his companions quite a lot.
Alone he moved away from the police box to explore his rural environment it looked like earth, moor or countryside, summer possibly the UK. He could see sheep, cows in the distance and hear hoof beats – a horse he liked horses. Turning he saw a dappled mare approaching at a canter with a girl on it, slim, blond and dressed in the attire of the moneyed country set she looked confident and quite at home – which bothered him for some reason.
As a time lord he had instincts honed to quite a high degree, a thousand years of time/space travel tended to do that especially if they involved a good degree of intrigue and danger; the doctor had learned to distrust the obvious.
"Hello there," he called jovially offering a wave and a smile, the wave took his wrist closer to girl and horse, around his arm was a slim band that didn't look like anything just a cheap bracelet.
"Hello yourself," said the girl in a fresh Home Counties accent, all girl's public school and privilege. The doctor cast an eye to his bracelet, his face giving nothing away.
"I seem to be a bit lost," he said, "Could you tell me where this is, exactly I mean?"
Dismounting skilfully she patted her horse, "Buckinghamshire, not far from my family home; I'm Miranda by the way."
The doctor's gaze focused on Miranda taking in every detail, clothing, physiognomy, accent, eyes – lovely eyes so green, so knowing and calculating far beyond what a simple country girl would have no matter how rich or well educated she was.
"Aren't you going to ask me," he said softly, "About the police box?"
"What police box," she threw back wrong-footing him and when he looked there was no sign of the TARDIS?
"Oh very good very clever," he muttered reaching into his pocket glad the sonic was still there his fingers caressed its side.
"What is," asked the girl still innocent?
"Who are you really Miranda or should I say what," he saw the air bend around her curling inwards, "And what is this," he moved towards it all curiosity, "A reality pod but what's generating it," his blue eyes dipped to Miranda recognising a clever trap one he'd walked right into, good job Kate wasn't here but then this girl hadn't come for Kate she only wanted him.
"All right," he sighed, "Let's get on with this, I can't escape you've seen to that so I might as well let me abduct me."
Losing her smile Miranda turned away from the horse and in a second this was gone to an illusion a prop, her features were now very calculating.
"You're different aren't you Doctor, smarter, more experienced you see more maybe too much, perhaps we should have left you for another time, still it's too late now you're in the pod so you'll have to come with me, this isn't a trick we can use twice not on a time lord."
Thumbing the sonic the Doctor closed his eyes; he knew that when he opened them he'd be in a different place and sure enough…
Hovering closer to him Kirk and Blake had a look of raptured intensity about them, it was the star ship captain who said, "So you saw her to you met this girl, not Melanie or Magda but Miranda; the same girl or alien or whatever she is."
Blake was nodding, "You let her abduct you, I don't understand that, if you knew it was a trap why not just escape?"
The Doctor smiled to himself, "Traps interest me, why they're set, who sets them, I wanted to know more."
Kirk's face reflected disgust, "But now you're a prisoner just like us, helpless and confined."
"Am I," the time lord toyed with his bow tie.
"Evidently," sighed Blake.
"Yes well evidence isn't always what it seems gentlemen," approaching a wall and producing his sonic the time traveller thumbed through settings, "The girl was a mask, a visage and I think this cell is to."
Kirk responded by slamming his fist against a grey wall, "Seems solid enough to me."
"Ah but is it," a note fluted from the slim silver device, rose an octave, split into two and oscillated. Then to the amazement of both men the Doctor walked forwards into the wall and right through it like a ghost, his voice drifting back to them, "Join me why don't you."
They found themselves in a tangled forest; to one side was a rolling meadow to another a tall grey spidery structure. Kirk recognised the M-class planet he'd beamed down to and Blake squinted at the federation science bunker he'd tried to destroy.
"Buckinghamshire," the Doctor sighed, "Only it isn't anymore than it's your world or yours," he told his companions, "We all arrived on the same planet and each of us saw something different, another illusion all part of the game."
"So where are we," asked Blake.
"Yes and how was the Enterprise so easily fooled," Kirk was annoyed?
"I'm not sure yet presumably these aliens have better tech than Starfleet or the builders of the Liberator but they shouldn't have been able to fool the TARDIS," sonic raised the Doctor did a sweeping scan and after a few second she found something, "Oh that's odd."
Kirk stomped away a man of action eager to take on a tangible opponent, Blake stood still and alert his instinct was to seek cover and observe, they were both fighters but tempered by different backgrounds, one an explorer the other a guerrilla.
Neither of these things the Doctor took four steps forwards to an oak tree and waved his hand through…nothing, no timber, no leaves no real tree.
"You can come out now," he called as though playing hide and seek, "Come on Miranda or whatever your name really is, you were very clever getting us all here so what's it all about?"
Kirk tensed, sensing movement, Blake picked up a fallen branch to use in self-defence but the Doctor just stood there with a smile on his lips waiting, he knew someone would appear and very soon she did.
Still blond, twenty, tall and leggy but now attired in a cream off the shoulder dress split down the middle of the skirt and belted around the middle, the long hair hanging free caught by the slight breeze.
"Hello again," jovial the Doctor flashed a boyish smile, "Is this the real you this time or another illusion, nice outfit by the way?"
Kirk was belligerent, "How about telling us what this is about."
"Are we still prisoners," Blake wanted to know.
"Yes I think we are," the Doctor decided, "This is just a longer leash."
The tall blond studied him very closely, "Blake and Kirk are human but you Doctor are something else, something more advanced."
"Flattering but…," the time lord prompted?
"Our world is under attack, we can't cope."
"You could have asked," Kirk remarked, "Sent us a genuine distress signal."
"No," said the Doctor, "It would have taken you too long to get here assuming you could at all, not a problem for me though in the TARDIS you could have sent me a message."
Miranda shrugged, "We chose a more direct approach to save time," she smiled at this, "Figuratively speaking."
Blake snapped, "Who are these attackers, and what makes you think 3 of us could tackle them if you can't with superior science?"
"Their weaponry," said Miranda "Is genetically specific."
The other two men frowned at this but the Doctor nodded sagely, "Designed to destroy your people only but we are different, figuratively speaking. Blake has a point though there are only 3 of us."
"It's not about numbers," the blond replied coolly, "But aptitude, courage, a more flexible approach than we have."
"You expect us to sort out your mess with no back up," Kirk reasoned, "Why should we help you?"
"More to the point," Blake was clearly unhappy, "What if we get into trouble, I assume you can't or won't bale us out."
"I," Miranda said archly, "Have volunteered to come with you putting my own life on the line."
"What about these genetic specific weapons," the Doctor smiled, "Or are you immune in some way?"
"No Doctor I'm not they will kill me if I get exposed so I'm just going to have to…box clever."
"Oh nice earth term, very colloquial I like it," the man with the bow tie smiled but the smile didn't reach his eyes, "You're lying Miranda but I can't figure out why at the moment."
She didn't seem remotely offended offering only a shrug to his accusation, he turned to his companions, "So gentleman do we help or not, I for one am very curious but I'll abide by any majority decision, in or out, Blake?"
The rebel leader was taciturn and looked ready to refuse, but Kirk interjected.
"Do we have the option to refuse, what happens if we say no?"
"Good point," the Doctor agreed, "Miranda do we have that option or won't you tell us?"
The blond gave him the most ambiguous of smiles, "We can't force you to help us and I admit you'd be taking a huge risk."
"That doesn't answer the question," Blake was truculent.
"You'll be returned to your realities unharmed."
Kirk and Blake swapped a look their scepticism palpable, James said, "I must admit I'm curious about these attackers and maybe a fresh perspective might help."
Roj shook his head, "We haven't been told anything about them, numbers, weapons, ideology, they could be fighting for freedom against some tyranny."
The Doctor chuckled Blake would always side with the little guy and Kirk would always be a risk taker especially if a pretty girl asked him nicely.
"Let's take a look then," the time lord offered, "Get the measure of their stride; see the alternative to Miranda and her people."
"Sounds good," James concurred but Roj held back.
"I'm not sure I don't see what's in this for us beyond getting killed."
"They won't kill you," Miranda's insistence was earnest, "Why should they, their argument is with my kind, you're neutrals, civilians."
"But you'll be with us and you aren't neutral," the Doctor kept his tone even, "Or won't they be able to see you, after all you are pretty good at disguising yourself as we've all see for ourselves."
"Perceptive as ever Doctor," Miranda conceded, "You're right to I will be disguised at least from them, I'd be stupid to enter the DMZ any other way, so decision time is it a yes or a no I require a consensus."
The street was a mass of debris, bits of broken something everywhere, it was flanked on both sides by buildings with large chunks gouged out of them, fires burned, smoke billowed, the sky was a toxic screen of grey-black vapour and the overriding stench was one the Doctor knew only too well – death.
"Looks like a Romulan war fleet has passed through here," Kirk looked pale with shock and he was a veteran of many conflicts.
"Saturation bombing," Blake suggested, "Not caring if they hit civilian or military – nice people."
Stopping the Doctor squatted down to pick up what looked like small stones, "Teeth," he sighed, "And bones a carpet of dead matter."
Miranda was disgusted, "They are without pity."
"They," queried Kirk, "Isn't it time we knew who these mysterious enemies of yours are?"
"Yes good point," Blake concurred, "I think we've earned the right to know, and what this war is about?"
"Survival, dominance, genes, turf, bragging rights," the Doctor was dismayed, "What are wars always about – who calls the shots," he turned to their guide, "Jim and Roj have a point though who are your opponents, they must have a name?"
Looking away for a moment Miranda considered her answer, "The only name we have is a signal we translated just before their attack, they call themselves…"
All four turned at the sound of new explosions a rolling barrage getting nearer small but highly focused blasts ripping through a terrace of block buildings to the west.
Kirk instantly took charge, finding cover and heading for it, Blake was at his heels, the doctor stayed with Miranda interested in her reaction, it wasn't what he expected oh there was fear there but also something else that surprised him.
"We should run doctor," she panted.
"Yes we should or rather you should, why aren't you?"
Then she was running but away from his scrutiny more than the advancing shells. Kirk was squatted inside the guts of a roofless ruin his Starfleet training and instincts as a captain to the fore now.
"I estimate the attackers are fifty meters in that direction Blake what do you think?"
"A big gun but only the one by the sound of it and not terribly accurate or they'd have killed us with the first salvo."
Jim was nodding, "Old equipment maybe which is strange based on what we've seen so far, this devastation would require modern material and lots of it."
"Maybe these shooters aren't responsible for all this," the doctor offered, both Kirk and Blake stared at him in surprise but it was Miranda who answered.
"Who else would be?"
Sonic out the time lord began to scan, Kirk was almost right but so was Blake; this wasn't a mass attack just one weapon and it had fallen silent, broken or had they run out of ammo.
"I'm going to take a closer look at the shooters; maybe I can open a dialogue."
"We'll all go," Kirk was decisive, "There's nothing to be learned crouched in a fox hole and if their gun is defective…."
Blake said, "We should split up a two-pronged advance is more effective."
This appealed to Kirk but not Miranda, "No we must stay together I can't help you if we divide our forces."
Frowning the doctor thought about this, "No Blake is right we have to flank their position, Miranda I think you and I should stay together."
He sensed another objection and forestalled it with, "It's only fifty meters."
But she said, "We should approach them together for safety."
"But," said Kirk, "We wouldn't be safe we'd be an easier target."
Tired of talking Blake was already on the move having selected the route he intended to take for maximum cover, Jim followed him his brain working on angles and possibilities base don the terrain.
"Well," the doctor smiled, "The vote has been taken it's just you and me Miranda, I think we'll give them a head start then try our luck," his bright blue eyes flicked hither and yon, "That way."
But the alien woman wasn't listening she was glaring intently at the two disappearing backs, discreetly the doctor pointed his sonic that way to but he couldn't detect anything.
"They are wilful and foolish," Miranda hissed.
"Isn't that why you brought them here to fight for you, they're just obeying instinct."
"Cynical doctor," she reposted.
"You're holding out on us but I expected that, people usually try to manipulate me; surprising how rarely it works."
"You think I've lied to you, why would I?"
"You've omitted some information I think about yourself and these enemies of yours, they couldn't have done all this not with one poorly working gun."
"They had other weapons many guns, mines and ships."
Unimpressed the doctor risked showing his head, "So where are they now what became of them," he looked at the few burned broken teeth in his palm, "Or maybe I already know."
Anger flashed behind the woman's eyes but also shock and a little fear, "You think my people did this?"
"Did you," the gaze of the time lord was compelling?
"Why would we, this is our former capital city?"
"Scorched earth policy I think Napoleon called it, if the city was already lost why preserve it?"
"My people are not barbarians doctor not like the savages of earth, you insult us."
Before he could probe any deeper she was moving, running, dodging to new cover leaving him no choice but to follow, he scanned her first though trying a mixed setting, she was blocking him but he'd find a way through and get to the truth he usually did.
Freezing at the corner of a building, his body in a semi-crouch Kirk was surprised to find he was enjoying himself – the risk, the unknown, the energy required – he lived for episodes like this, for the sheer rawness of danger.
"Not far now," he hissed at Blake who had taken up a position behind some rubble resting on his elbows.
"We're being watched," he responded.
"You noticed that," said Kirk in a tone that suggested he missed nothing?
"They're high up but they haven't opened fire despite many chances, that's interesting," the rebel leader deduced.
"It's bothered me to, not quite the ruthless enemy our guide would have us believe."
"I don't trust her at all James; I don't think the doctor does either."
Kirk considered that; no he didn't trust Miranda or whatever her name really was she was too evasive, too slick, this whole thing felt contrived a set-up.
"You're a good man to have in a scrap Blake, have you ever been a serving officer?"
The look was ironic in the extreme, "I am or was an engineer sentenced to penal servitude."
"Yes your federation is different from mine," Kirk thought of the principled, democratic and open-armed organisation he had dedicated his life to, one he trusted implicitly, it wasn't perfect by any means but he concurred with its general aims.
"You could say that," Blake said dryly.
"Do you think you can bring it down, a huge system-wide tyranny, one man one ship?"
"You sound like you doubt me captain, try this for size," Blake fired using the weapon Miranda had provided him and Kirk some kind of blaster, he had no idea what range it possessed and now seemed like a good time to find out.
High above a section of masonry blew out in bright sparks and from behind it a figure cried and fell, tumbling down a gradient of rumble and coming to rest barely six yards distant.
Dashing over Roj found the figure gasping for air and limbs writhing but still very much alive a she'd hoped a prisoner, someone to answer questions.
"Good shooting," Kirk joined him a heartbeat later, "Is it a man?"
Wearing a dark grey helmet and visor the figure was slight of build but recovering fast, Blake tore off the helmet and gave a start of surprise; so did Kirk and both men gazed at their hostage in sheer disbelief.
Able to see the long barrel of the super gun now the doctor gave a low whistle of appreciation, impressive or it had been in its heyday, now badly corroded and smoking along its length it resembled a relic from a lost time a museum piece.
Figures moved unseen behind it scampering about talking hurriedly in something of a panic.
"Time to introduce ourselves I think," said the time traveller, "You can let me do the talking."
Miranda raised her weapon, the same type of thing Kirk and Blake had, the doctor having refused to carry any gun.
"We should attack and cut down their numbers, we can always leave a few alive to question."
Features radiating disgust the doctor palmed the gun down, "We have surprise we don't need any other advantage, I'm trying to engage these people in diplomacy not slaughter them," his eyes fixed on Miranda, "No shooting okay."
There was no reply just a stony silence and the doctor didn't move a muscle, "Okay," he repeated and was given a concessionary nod.
There was a pathway in between gun and the buttress that supported it a way into one of the better buildings, some kind of hangar that may once have housed ground based or even flying vehicles it was hard to tell now. Going first the doctor zeroed in on the voices and soon made out a gaggle of slim figures in poorly fitting helmets and leather jerkins, some armed but most not; there was a disorganised even panicked air about them with raised voices bordering on hysteria.
He made himself visible, "err hello," big smile, jazz hands, look I'm not armed you can trust me.
Silence then cries then clicking guns, the doctor had a faceful; nothing new there it was almost a default setting.
Old he noticed, poorly maintained, chipped like the big cannon, "Doctor, Miranda, say hello Miranda."
Some of the guns moved to cover her they were shaking he noticed as were the arms holding them, skinny arms very skinny arms with even less beef than his own.
"Are these the enemy the marauders you told us about Miranda, the ones you need three heroes to overcome because in my opinion," quick as a conjuror he removed the helmet from the nearest gun totting invader and stepped back with visible shock and it took a lot to shock a time lord of his age.
"Don't move," said the face looking back at him, a girl no more than fourteen at the most. The others removed their helmets, a mix of boys and girls with smudged faces, the eldest not more than sixteen with the youngest being around eleven. Child soldiers, kids, adolescents hardly the fearsome monsters he'd imagined.
Staring wide eyed the Doctor looked at each face in turn seeing in them the same thing – fear, lots of fear – not directed at him though and slowly he turned to his guide.
"Who are these children," he asked in a low, dangerous voice that previous opponents of his would have recognised instantly, "Only they seem to know you Miranda, rather better than me I suspect?"
It was the fourteen year old girl who answered her voice rank with bitterness, "She's my mother," it was a stunning revelation but she followed it with a better one, "Mother to us all."
Clones thought the doctor no other explanation, "Well Miranda," he encouraged some comment, "Mother to them all, test tubes babies I presume, you're at war with your own children?"
At last the tall blond spoke not to offer any apology as he might have expected, not to display any kind of shame but to declare proudly and defiantly, "They are mutants, freaks, disobedient, disloyal and dysfunctional outcasts who must be expunged."
He might have been listening to Davros it was certainly a speech worthy of the Dalek-Father himself, "Expunged" he echoed;" children?"
A thought occurred, "But you said their weapons were genetic specific."
"They are," agreed the fourteen year old girl, "We're prepared to die to get rid of them," she said with deep resentment and fanatical certainty.
Blue eyes jumping between mother and children the doctor wondered which group were more damaged more obsessive, he waved his sonic over the teens finding something very curious an anomaly he hadn't foreseen at all.
"It's unbelievable," said Blake a man who'd witnessed a lot of very strange phenomena.
"Evidently not," Jim Kirk was having a hard time coming to terms with what the teenage boy prisoner had just told him, "You're a different species from your parents a deviation?"
Evan stood proudly before the men who'd captured him, off-worlders probably mercenaries yet they hadn't killed him like previous such recruits had tried to do.
"Children on this planet are mass-produced but something went wrong with our batch, something not predicted by the gestation algorithm, we're a new breed a new kind, not racially pure not copies of those who went before."
Blake cut in, "Let me understand this all children here are test tube, clones."
Evan nodded, "We each have dozens of parents."
"That you're now at war with," Kirk concluded, "This is a fight between one generation and the next, children versus parents, and they're trying to exterminate you," he waved at the wreckage, "With saturation bombing."
Evan said, "Drones loaded with genetically targeted toxins and bio-defoliant, thousands have died in agony."
"Genocide," Blake gasped.
"But you're still alive Evan you don't seem affected by these bio-weapons," Jim felt moved to point out.
"I've developed immunity, several of us have, we're still mutating, deviating and that really freaks them out, the thought we will continue to outgrow them and one day breed our own children naturally, I'm already old enough to be a father."
Looking around at the ruined city Blake couldn't imagine bringing up kids here, "Who is Miranda," he asked, "The women who recruited us do you know her?"
Face assuming a dark mask the boy nodded, "Oh yes I know her we all do, know her and despise her she's the worst of them, and if she's here in person it's very bad news."
"Racial purification executive, queen of the assassins, the bitch of death," said the fourteen year old girl Petra, "And she won't have come alone doctor she never does."
The sonic buzzed confirming what it had told the doctor earlier, Miranda was live she was buzzing with activity, tiny particles attached to her clothing had now taken to the air in a storm cloud of activity becoming visible as a silver snowstorm. Nanoforms, microscopic cybernetic dust now growing and expanding rapidly.
Petra and the other kids backed away so did the doctor whilst Miranda regarded them with contempt, "No I'm not alone as you can see I brought an army with me a full regiment and they are immune to any genetic specific weaponry."
"But not," the doctor declared, "To me," he came to a halt sonic raised like a magic wand or a sword, "Deactivate your robotic army Miranda and we'll talk, resolve this peacefully."
"I don't want to resolve it peacefully doctor that's not why I'm here at all, I intend to live up to my reputation as so colourfully espoused by this brat."
The sonic hummed its tip turned from sea green to cobalt, "No more killing Miranda I mean it."
"I'm sure you do but I'm a person of conviction to," the snow around Miranda widened and thickened until she was barely visible, the air filling with the buzz of a billion bees, bees made of metal, reinforced armour and lethal blasters.
"Why did you need me to lead you here Miranda why not just walk in yourself, I doubt a few teenage rebels would put the wind up someone like you? There has to be some other factor something you haven't told me about, some element you're afraid of. James T Kirk, Roj Blake and the last of the time lords; why did you need us what did we give you that you didn't have before?"
Each of the tiny snowflakes was now knuckle sized and even at that size it was possible to make out that each was a tiny armoured warrior, hundreds if not thousands of them.
"Doctor run," Petra pleaded most of her young friends were already on the move not that it would do them any good if this materialising army of super-killers achieved critical mass, there were just too many of them armed to the teeth.
Instead the time lord raised his sonic straight up at the many holes in the roof through which a murky sky was visible.
"It's always sunny where I meet you Miranda but here it's cloudy and stormy and that's given me the germ of an idea, maybe it's climate you fear, the cold or wind or," the sonic crackled sending a burst of energy up high into the murky bruise-coloured clouds, "Or moisture maybe, precipitation."
The look in her eyes was all the proof he needed, "Hurry my army hurry into full size," and they did their growth speeding up visibly now each was fist-sized ugly visor wearing warriors.
Petra was forlorn, "It's hopeless we can never beat all of them."
The doctor's smile was reassuring, "If I'm right you won't have to and I think I am right," a rumble of thunder filled the ruined building as the sky above darkened.
"Doctor," Jim Kirk burst in with Blake at his heels, when he saw the giant swirling metal snow he raised his blaster.
"No captain," the doctor shouted, "That won't work but this will," a single drop of rain kissed the thin face then another then a soft drizzle, the drizzle gained momentum spilling down through the patchwork roof.
"No," Miranda's scream was almost as piercing as the thunder she backed away wiping her face urgently looking for somewhere to hide.
Her army had no such option they were caught by the pelting rainstorm and as water hit warrior that warrior shattered as if hit by a high-velocity bullet. With a string of pops and cracks the fledging army exploded like fire crackers on Chinese New Year.
"How did you know," Petra looked on aghast her scowl becoming a smirk, "How did you guess?"
"I'm the doctor it's my job."
Turning to run Miranda bumped into James Kirk, pulling free she skirted around him and bumped into Roj Blake.
"Going somewhere," the doctor enquired, "Got a bus to catch maybe?"
Terrified and close to panic now Miranda cried out as dampness touched a cheek, where water touched flesh a dark blotch like a contusion appeared as if she'd been struck.
"Stop it, stop the rain."
"I like rain it's very," the doctor considered, "English."
The kids began easing back in cautiously, when they saw the exploding warriors they let out a huge cheer.
Finding some loose tarp Petra threw it over their enemy bearing her to the ground, the drizzle became torrential plastering everyone's hair to their skulls.
Kirk said, "I like rain to doctor but I don't fancy drowning."
"Might I remind you both that we are now stranded here," said Blake, "Miranda was our only way out."
Studying his sonic the time lord worked its micro-controls with a thumb nail, "Oh I wouldn't say that."
"You have an alternative," Kirk palmed water from his eyes.
"I have a TARDIS."
"But," Blake began to object just as a strange groaning cacophony filled the air and in the vertical sheets of rain a pulsing blue ghost began to harden into corporeal reality.
"You can keep blondie," said the time lord, "We won't be needing her anymore."
"What about when the rain stops," Petra worried?
"It won't," said the doctor, "Not here and not elsewhere on this planet, it's spreading outwards from this city across the entire planet which should give your enemies plenty to think about; waterproofing for example, they'll be too busy to bother you or…us."
Turning to Jim and Roj and extending a welcoming hand the doctor began to move towards his blue box, "Gentlemen a pair of star ships await your return I think, Enterprise and Liberator."
"How will you find them," Kirk wondered, "It's a big universe?"
The man with the bow tie had a twinkle in his eye or maybe it was just the rain.
. /group/doctorwhostoriesbythefans