Chapter 22:

A Very Brief Calm Before A Very Large Storm

In all the hubris that had been compressed into the very brief span of time in which our heroes had undertaken to save Artemis, a very important question had slipped from their minds; "Whatever had happened to Agent Raymond Stockard and the troll Ghor?"

Where indeed? They all but dissapeared since Artemis' abduction. Perhaps Davros had paid them their wages, shook their hands, congratulated them on a job well done and sent them on their seperate paths. Perhaps they left together, to pursue a partnership as soldiers of fortune, specializing in the strangest of missions; helping the innocent to atone for their horrible misdeeds?

Or, as what was actually the case, they were still aboard the Nightmare Child, in the Bridge with Davros, watching the video footage streaming live from the Gate Room. "Oh, this is so very much like the Doctor" Davros seethed. "That old fool never had any respect for his people's rules. Of course he would find his past selves; the only men in the universe who could stand his infuriating-"

Stockard cleared his throat, loudly and forcefully, to cut off his employer. "I gotta live on this ship for a good few months, and already I'm getting a headache from your temper tantrums. Not a good precedence for our working relationship."

Ghor tensed and growled. "You DARE-!"

Davros shot his hand up to silence the troll. "Insubordination from one of my Daleks, Mr. Stockard, would result in immediate extermination. What makes you think you're any different?"

"I'm not a screeching tin can, most likely. That, and the fact that you and I are done when this is all over. I've got no problem burning bridges; ask my ex-wife, she can attest to that in triplicate."

Davros chuckled. "I'll do no such thing, but you make a point." The leader of the Daleks turned and moved to the control head of the Bridge. "Supreme!" he barked, "how close are we to opening the Gates?"

The white Supreme swiveled its eye stalk to face its master. "THE GATES OF ELYSIUM WILL BE AT 100% CAPACITY IN FIFTEEN EARTH STANDARD MINUTES" it boomed.

"Wonderful." Davros turned back around to face Stockard and Ghor. "You have fifteen minutes to dispose of the Doctor and his gaggle of misfits. Any more and the Gates will open with you in the room; the Horde of Travesties will find two small morsels to sate itself before it finds the Earth."

Ghor and Stockard nodded. Stockard took, loaded, and cocked his pistols in one swift, practiced motion. Ghor unclasped the Neutrino off his back. The two of them turned and made their way to the door.

"If you fail, Mud Squiggler" Ghor whispered, "the master will not have a chance to punish you; your skull will be drapsed around my neck along with the Time Lords'."

"Bite me, Snaggletooth" Stockard hissed back. "Worry about yourself. Damn near incredible that the old prune found enough brains in that pile of upholstery to work with."

And with that, the door closed behind them.

Davros turned his gaze down to the video screen. Whatever the Doctor was doing, it wouldn't matter; no matter how the fool tried, the Horde would get its way. It ALWAYS got its way.

The mad creator flung his hands in the air, and screamed to his creations. "My Daleks! Rejoice!" For this day, the Doctor falls! This day, the Earth will be razed from creation! REJOICE!

"REJOICE! REJOICE! REJOICE! THE EARTH FALLS!"