Chapter Seventeen
The Doctor appeared in what appeared to be pitch blackness. "Right" he hissed "Where are this manic contraption."
Just then a massive screen buzzed into life and the demonic skull of X10 appeared "Ah Doctor, welcome" it rumbled
"Did you agree to our terms no drones?" The Doctor asked
"I'm a machine of my word." X10 replied
"Considering I'm not a machine and I have blood in my heart, your word isn't good enough for me 'LIGHTS'" he shouted. Up in the Tardis Miss Barrett had heard everything and flicked the switch.
Light flashed on one after another. Revealing two droids that had been lurking in the shadows the Doctor held up his hands and a ray of light emanated from his palm and hit both the droids which juddered and fell to the floor.
"You broke your word. That you would come unarmed" X10 snarled
"as did you" The Doctor retorted "you said there would be no droids." Just then The Doctor knew where he was he was in the underground chamber under the Tenworth Factory where X10 had killed Harvey McKenzie
"You did a foolish thing bringing that device you wear on your chest, I control all electrical devices, feel the pain as I said its intense electrical current against you and electrocute you."
There was a moment's pause, then The Doctor started to laugh "Nothing, the greatest asset to the Human, the most magnificent Machine of the 21st Century. Yet technology made from another world you can't handle. For a machine that has a Supercomputer for a brain you are incredibly thick."
"Thick?" X10 asked "I don't understand?"
"Of course you don't, you brain lacks imagination. It relays too much on logic and reason, judgement and common sense. Makes you too blinkered, too focused. Imagination that is the one thing the Human mind possess and that a computer will never replicate"
"You are walking a tightrope here Doctor." X10 said
"I mean you can use metaphors but you have no idea what they are mean, you have a programme like the English Dictionary. And while we are on the subject. What is this massive vendetta you have against the human race?"
"They used me, they created me as a tool designed to kill their own kind. I'm only following my original function" X10 explained
The Doctor nodded he remembered Professor Ormerod mentioning that X10 was originally considered as a battle computer. "That was your primary function you were designed to assist people in war, not wage a war yourself"
"You have concern Doctor, why?" X10 asked "You have experience a lot so I know the best way to make you surrender!" then in a loud clanging shout he commanded "Droids use the Teleport and invade The Skybase, take no prisoners"
"NO!" The Doctor shouted
On board the Skybase there was a bright light and a droid appeared then another and another slowly they walked forward. Miss Barret looked in horror "Quick" she said and pulled the lever that closed the doors and locked both her and Becky Gibbs inside
"Where's John?" Becky asked
The Droids were all over the Skybase they marched along the gangways and headed towards the bridge. On which Commander Lyons and the Skymaster were standing, suddenly the hydraulic doors opened and they entered.
Meanwhile three droids had found the Tardis with the cable still running to the engines. Down under the factory. X10 announced "The Droids have found your machine and the cable that powers the Skybase."
"Whatever you do" The Doctor said "Don't disconnect the cable, if the Skybase hit's the Earth it'll cause the biggest Explosion in human history, it'll cause mass genocide and carnage so don't disconnect it"
If X10 had a human face it would have been smiling as it added "Cut the power. Listen Doctor as your friends die one by one"
One droid went to the console whilst another managed to get the Tardis doors open it walked in and saw both Miss Barrett and Becky Gibbs and walk forward it's arms outstretched. The one at the engine control panel pressed the 'deactivate' button. Suddenly there was a loud crackle of electricity and the droid began to spasm then another and another every droid on board The Skybase began to judder and shake. Then there was a pop and a plume of smoke came out each one of them some of them collapsed to the floor other just stood in a frozen position but all weren't moving.
Breathing heavily Miss Barrett and Becky moved around the Tardis console and out of the doors. On the Bridge The Skymaster was closely examining a droid "Skylieutenant Harker" he said "Get to the engine room and make sure that both of the girls are ok! And tell the Tech branch to get these walking baked bean tins out of the way"
Back at Tenworth it was X10's voice that had concern "What have you done?" it screamed "You tricked me"
"No" The Doctor said darkly "You tricked yourself, Now you lost your drones your army is gone"
"No Doctor" X10 replied "I still possess the assembly machines and my computer brain will create another army.
"I warned you that I would stop you" The Doctor reminded "Anyway why don't you give up, your drones are gone you have no purpose anymore. No Army, No Invasion, No X10"
"I will succeed Doctor, Be warned that I still control every piece of electrical equipment built by the human, including the nuclear defence systems. If you destroy me, you'll be destroying yourself and this entire planet"
"I admit that is where you have the better of me." The Doctor said
"My power supply is electrified so you can't disconnect it. And my Motherboard is so superior that any virus would be destroyed before it can make any lasting danger. I also control the Main Power unit so I can't be shut down."
"Now I get it" The Doctor said "Why you hate humans. You need constant power to run, if there was a power cut then you're mental state would become unstable that must be what happened at TCC! A slight power cut left you deranged. And that in lead to your basic instinct of a battle computer coming through."
"At last the simple organic mind gets it" X10 said laughing again.
"But I know your weakness, I said it before. Jemima are you there?"
Surprised Miss Barrett spoke out loud "Yes Doctor"
"Are you alone?"
"No" Miss Barrett replied "Becky is with me"
"Right" The Doctor said "We are going to play a game of 'Story Circle' ever played it?"
"No?" Miss Barrett said
"Well we take it turns to tell a story. I'll go first." The Doctor said "'Once upon a time. There lived a beautiful princess that lived in a house made entirely from cake.' Right X10 you're turn"
"It is impossible for a house to be made out of cake" X10 replied "'Cake: a sweet food made from baking eggs, milk, flour and sugar'"
"You haven't got the hang of this game yet?" The Doctor said "No matter I'll continue 'Now one day the princess who lived in a house made entirely of cake went for a walk through a forest made of entirely of glass' X10 your turn"
X10 was trying to concentrate but something was happening the edges of the skull were blurred slightly. "It's not logical for a forest to be made of glass 'Forest: a collection of trees'" and then he added "'Glass: a sweet food made from baking eggs, milk, flour and sugar'"
"No" The Doctor replied "You got it wrong it's Cake that's a sweet food made"
"You're right" X10 added "'Glass: a transparent material used to make windows, drinking vessels and ornaments'"
"Now Jemima it's your turn," The Doctor "the princess went for a walk and what did she meet?"
Miss Barrett thought for a moment then she added "A clock which could only count backwards"
"Excellent" The Doctor said "X10 what do you think?"
"'Clock: a mechanical device used to tell the time'" X10 replied "'Clock', 'Glass', 'Cake'" The screen was becoming more and more distorted
"YES!" The Doctor said "'A clock that could only count backwards' and now Becky what did the princess say to the clock?"
Becky said loud and clear "'And the princess spoke to the clock and said 'Would you like to come out of the glass forest and come back to my house for cake? But don't eat too much otherwise I won't have a home'"
"Exactly" The Doctor said "Remember this X10" he added "2+2=5, The Capital of France is Berlin and I'm The Doctor!"
X10 was fighting for control, large black spot were appearing on the screen "Doctor Who?" it gasped
"I'm The Doctor, Not Doctor Who? I'M THE DOCTOR!" He shouted
X10 let out a long loud howl as if it was in pain. "This is illogical"
"What's the matter X10 not feeling as superior anymore? Your finished X10 your invasion is over, your reign of power is at an end! No-one wants you, No-one needs you and No-One Cares!" and his lifted his hand "Feel the power of the time vortex" he said and large beam of light shot out and hit the control panel which exploded. There loud were rumblings and bangs on board the Skybase. Miss Barrett and Becky hugged each other. On the bridge a technician "Power increasing, sir. Tardis drive is disengaging."
Miss Barrett gently stepped outside The Tardis. "Hello" she asked just then she saw something out of the corner, she turned quickly preparing for a fight but found that is was Skylieutenant Harker.
Then Becky's voice could be heard "Hey!" she called
As the two people entered they saw Becky huddled in a corner of the Tardis. "Something if behind the console" she whispered. Harker drew his pistol and walked round carefully after a minute he smiled and put his pistol back into its holder "Up you come Doctor." He said and helped the Timelord to his feet.
Both women hurried forward and hugged him tightly "You two alright?" he asked
"Yeah" Becky replied "but what happened to X10?"
"A long story" The Doctor said, "One I'll tell you, but not now!"
Just then Skylieutenant Harker portable radio buzzed into life "Harker here… yes he is sir" he passed the radio to the Doctor "It's your Commander, Doctor"
"He's not my commander" The Doctor replied "Hello?"
"Where is X10?" Lyons asked
"The Experimental Radical Intelligent Artificial Co-ordinator is now completely shut down." The Doctor said "The country, Skybase and the world are now safe and everything is back to normal!"