Child of Earth
By Lumendea
Chapter Three: Skye: Metalkind
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.
AN: Thank you for all the great reviews thus far. They are always a lot of fun to read. As some of you have noticed I did move up the timeline for the appearance of Skye and added the e to her name. I wanted her to be active while Rose was still on Earth and as for the spelling well I didn't want to confuse myself.
….
Rose kept the superphone tight against her ear as it rang and fought not to pace. She could still see the image of Skye's physical form on Spock's screen and a simulation model of her apparently weaponized DNA which did nothing to help her stay calm. The phone rang again and Rose was worried that she wasn't going to get through when it was suddenly picked up.
"Hello," a thick northern accent answered sounding a touch confused. "Rose?"
"Yes it's me, Doctor," Rose replied with a smile. She supposed that not many people had the direct number for the TARDIS. "I've got a bit of situation on Earth that could go very bad very quickly. Can you come?"
"Are you in danger?" the Doctor asked, his voice suddenly harder.
"Not in immediate danger," Rose assured him with a soft affectionate smile at his concern. "But this morning an infant was left on Sarah Jane's doorstep. She disrupts electrical signals around her and when we did manage a scan Spock discovered that she was created as a weapon."
"And she's on Earth right now?"
"Yeah, we're operating under the theory that someone sent her to Sarah Jane for safe keeping. Maybe to even get the bomb defused. Even in her current state she'd made almost everything electrical in the house short out or explode."
"This is why I don't stay in one place," the Doctor told her even as Rose heard the metallic shift of levers and knew the Doctor was changing course. "Imagine someone dropping off an infant in front of the TARDIS. When and where?"
Rose smiled as she gave the Doctor the date and time. She was very certain that the TARDIS would find Sarah Jane's attic just fine. The call ended so the Doctor could pilot and Rose moved out of the center of the room. Wringing her fingers slightly, Rose took a few controlled breaths and tried to relax. A soft sigh escaped her, why did it have to be the Ninth Doctor. She had no idea how he was with infants. The Eleventh Doctor would have been easier… of course he might have also made veiled remarks about their own daughter Astra. For a Time Lord, he never seemed all that concerned about keeping things secret.
The attic was still and silent only a moment before the familiar wheezing sound of the TARDIS began to echo in the air. A few papers on Sarah Jane's desk rustled in the breeze and then the shape of the TARDIS began to appear with its beautiful blue color becoming clear each second. It only took a moment and the TARDIS was parked in the middle of Sarah Jane's attic. The door swung open and the Doctor stepped out with his blue eyes finding Rose in an instant.
"Rose Tyler," the Doctor greeted letting her name roll off his tongue with a wide smile. Then he opened his arms.
Grinning Rose leapt forward and hugged the Ninth Doctor, breathing in the thick smell of leather, engine oil and time that always seemed to surround the man. He laughed and pulled her off the ground for a moment before he turned serious and gently set her down.
"Doctor it's good to see you," Rose told him with a silly smile of her own. "How are you?"
"All healed up from Japan," he assured her, also confirming that for once they seemed to be in synch timeline wise. "So what is happening here? I assume you want me to check the kid."
"Yes, but not in the TARDIS," Rose cautioned him quickly. "I don't know just how powerful her cries are and I don't want to put her in harm's way," Rose explained as she affectionately touched the TARDIS. "We also don't know yet what kind of energy it is that will make Skye morph into her weapon form so we need to be careful."
"I haven't irritated anyone that much lately," the Doctor quipped, but Rose could see a shadow of worry in his eyes.
"I doubt its artron energy since she's been around Sarah Jane and me, but please be careful."
He gave her a soft look and seemed ready to say something clever and no doubt deflect the overly emotional feeling settling in when a shout from outside made them both tense up. There was a sound of an energy weapon being discharged and Rose spun towards the door.
"Metal lifeform detected outside!" Spock informed them sounding almost panicked. "Rose I was not able to detect him."
Ignoring him, Rose and the Doctor rushed out the door and down the stairs. Gripping the bannister, Rose pointed to the side hallway which led to the back door and the Doctor bolted ahead of her. They opened the back door and Rose could see heavy footprints in the grass where something very heavy had crushed the vegetation, but no sign of Johnny or Skye. Rose moved around the side of the house towards the drive as the strange sounds of the energy weapon echoed down the street.
"Get in if you want the child to live!" Rose heard someone shout and she saw Johnny vanish around the corner.
Rushing to the end of the drive, Rose was just in time to see Johnny clamor into a plain looking West London Power van as a blonde stern looking woman dressed in a long dark coat held the back open for them.
"Who are you?" Johnny called to her.
"I'm her mother," the woman snapped as she reached to close the door. "Drive."
As the doors slammed shut, the van began to rush away with energy blasts ricocheting off the back. Rose turned her attention towards the tall metal man in the middle of the street who stopped shooting. She had only a moment to take in his large form and the strange armor looking exterior that she wasn't sure if it was really armor or part of its body. Weapons were strapped across its chest on a harness and while it was humanoid in shape its head resembled a lifeless helmet more than anything. It paid them no mind and vanished from sight a moment later.
"Teleport?" Rose asked, but her mind dismissed it quickly. "No, there wasn't an energy field."
"It went invisible, advanced cloaking system that is active when it isn't attacking. That's why Spock didn't detect it until it began attacking," the Doctor told her, gripping her arm and pulling her away from the street. "That creature was a metalkind," the Doctor informed Rose quietly as his eyes scanned the street. "A boron-based lifeform and I'd bet the woman who said she was the kid's mother is a fleshkind," the Doctor all but growled. "I wasn't aware their war had taken this sort of turn."
"We need to find Skye before it does," Rose whispered with a cautious look towards the street. "I'll bet it is what Skye is supposed to react to."
"That's a good guess that this point," the Doctor agreed as he pulled Rose back towards the house. "Her ability to disrupt and destroy anything based around electromagnetic properties would make her devastating to the metalkind."
"We have to follow them!"
"I need something from the TARDIS" the Doctor told her, gripping Rose's arms gently. "Hopefully we can keep the infant from priming. The van said West London Power."
"Okay, you get what you need and I'll get Spock tracking them," Rose agreed as they moved back inside.
They rushed back to the attic in silence and as the Doctor went straight for the TARDIS, Rose moved in front of Spock.
"Have you been able to keep track of them?" Rose asked urgently.
"No, they have been moving through areas without cameras," Spock apologized quickly. "Did you notice anything about the van?"
"It said West London Power," Rose informed him uneasily.
"Then this alien would have needed to acquire the van," Spock observed as images began to flicker across the screen. "I theorize that she most likely took over a local power station in order to watch for power fluctuations."
"Of course," Rose breathed. "That would have been the fastest way to find Skye. Her presence here caused a ton of electrical surges and people no doubt were calling the power company. Any idea which station?"
"They are heading for the Summerwell Nuclear Power Station," Spock suddenly announced. "The van just made a turn which leaves it as the only option."
"Okay keep an eye on them," Rose ordered as the Doctor exited the TARDIS holding a small dark blue case with a handle that Rose didn't recognize. There were small dials and buttons on one side of it. "We're heading that way," Rose told Spock. "Contact me if you get anything more." Then she turned to the Doctor. "Driving or TARDIS."
The Doctor grimaced but sighed as he closed up the TARDIS. "Better drive," he said sounding put out. "No telling what might happen to the TARDIS if she gets too close to this."
"Ah… yes," Rose agreed uneasily as she pulled off her translator and set it on the table. "Just in case Skye does get activated," she told him with a grimace. "Come on."
The Doctor followed Rose downstairs and out the door which Rose did make sure was locked. The neighborhood was in disarray with car alarms still going off a few places and flickering lights obvious through the windows. Thankfully Rose and the Doctor reached her SUV which was tucked up in the drive by her house without drawing the attention of her mother. She could hear Jackie howling about something inside, but directed the Doctor to the passenger side and focused on getting them going.
Once they were off Bannerman Road, Rose wrestled out her phone and hit the speed-dial for Sarah Jane. It rang for only a moment before the woman in question picked up.
"Rose? Is everything alright?" Sarah Jane asked Rose as she put the phone on speaker.
"Sarah Jane," Rose replied as she fought to keep her eyes on the road and wove through traffic. Thankfully the Summerwell power station was on the outskirts of London though Sarah Jane was now closer than they were. "I'm with the Doctor and we're on our way to Summerwell power station. Johnny is there with Skye."
"The Doctor- Rose what happened?"
"Johnny took Skye outside while I checked with Spock and he was attacked by some sort of metal lifeform," Rose explained in a rush. "We'll meet you there."
"Metal lifeform, that fits with what we found as well," Sarah Jane informed her sounding calmer. "Some sort of metal lifeform came down and it can go invisible."
"We know," the Doctor offered as he looked out the window. "Johnny was rescued I supposed by a woman who claimed to be Skye's mother."
"Well that's good then isn't it?" Rani's voice asked through the phone getting a look of mild surprise from Rose. "Which Doctor is this anyway?"
That question earned Rose a sharp look from the Doctor and she sighed slightly. She's deal with this later once Johnny was safe and they could confirm Skye's safety.
"You haven't met this incarnation yet Rani," Rose told the teenager. "And this isn't the time. Spock's scan indicated that Skye's power actually comes from her having been created as a weapon."
"A weapon?" Sarah Jane asked in horror. "We're getting in the car now, but explain."
"When she is near a certain kind of energy she will be primed into her primary form," the Doctor explained gently as Rose heard the sound of Sarah Jane starting her car. "This mother of Skye's created her to destroy the metalkind, they've been at war for a very long time, but the moment Skye comes in contact with the metalkind following them she'll be transformed."
"If she made an innocent child to be a weapon then she isn't a fit mother," Sarah Jane growled. "We'll meet you there."
"Sarah wait for us-" the Doctor started to say, but the phone call was cut off and a huff escaped the Doctor. "She's not going to wait for us."
"Probably not," Rose agreed uneasily. "And I'm afraid that she's got my sonic pen at the moment."
"What she left you on babysitting duty and stole your sonic pen?"
"Yeah, it's been one of those mornings," Rose sighed, tightening her fingers around the wheel. "What do you know about the metalkind, anything else that can help us?"
"Both the metalkind and fleshkind evolved in a binary planetary system exists at the eye of the Tornado Nebula," the Doctor explained to her. "They've been a war for centuries now, sadly for no real reason beyond being so different. The fleshkind are convinced that the metalkind seek to destroy all flesh while the metalkind have been under constant attack by the fleshkind."
"And now there is a doomsday weapon," Rose sighed with a shake of her head. "Why is it never easy?"
…..
Summerwell nuclear power station was a large long white building surrounded by power lines and a high fence, but as they drove closer Rose was aware of the lack of guards. No one seemed to be on duty and she caught sight of the van up ahead of them. Sarah Jane's older car was parked a few feet away. There was a metal gate open between it and the back door. Parking the SUV, Rose jumped out and rushed towards the back door with the Doctor right beside her.
"Already inside," the Doctor said as he gripped the handle of the blue box a little tighter. "Come on!"
"This is bad!" Rose called as she ran after the Doctor. "Skye in the middle of a nuclear power station! If she starts to cry!"
"The question is why would her 'mother' bring her here?" The Doctor reminded her as pulled open the unlocked door. "Come on!"
The inside of the power plant was clean and bright with a high ceiling that towered over the rows of machinery. A staircase near the door led up to a second catwalk level and the Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and tugged her towards it. He brought out his sonic screwdriver as they quietly moved forward. It seemed very quiet, too quiet to Rose and she looked around in worry.
"Where is everyone?" Rose asked softly. "There should be more staff monitoring the equipment."
"Good point," the Doctor agreed as he sniffed the air. "What is that?" he questioned softly. "I think something opened an energy field path here recently."
"But the metalkind crashed on Earth," Rose reminded him. "That means that it must have been that woman who says she's Skye's mother."
"More correctly by the sound of Skye's scan her creator," the Doctor muttered as he pulled Rose forward.
A few moments later the sound of yelling on the other side of the plant sent them both running. They twisted around the sides of the building and Rose kept glancing around for a staircase. She spotted a pair of people dressed in white protective suits who were standing completely still with their heads lowered.
"They're asleep," the Doctor told her quickly as he glanced over them. "That's not a good sign. We need to find that child."
The room opened up ahead forming a large open area with a staircase leading down to it. But standing in the center with Skye in her carrier and the tall blonde woman was Johnny. Rose gasped softly as they approached and she took in the woman properly. She had regal, but stern features and was dressed rather ridiculously in high heeled black boots, tight pants with a long fur edged coat. Nothing about her seemed maternal, in fact, she screamed black widow and was looking Johnny like he was a bug to be squashed.
"You might be flesh, but you are Earth flesh. Just a few evolutionary twists from protozoa," the woman all but growled at Johnny. "Now give me my child!
"Not happening Meyers, not until you tell me what you're going to do with her," Johnny demanded as he kept hold of the carrier protectively.
"Take her home, of course. She's the saviour of my kind," Meyers breathed. "She will be the stuff of legend. Now give her to me!"
"Johnny!" Sarah Jane's voice echoed down the corridor as she, Luke, Clyde, and Rani came rushing around the corner.
"Dad run!" Luke shouted as Sarah Jane used the sonic pen on a panel by Meyers and sent sparks showering over the woman.
Rose and the Doctor began moving towards the staircase as Johnny tried dashing away, but the air in front of him suddenly rippled and the tall metal man was suddenly blocking his way. The metalkind pulled a weapon from a holster on his belt and pointed it towards Johnny. Sarah Jane and the kids backed into the corner of the room with Johnny. Next to her Rose could hear the beeping of the device the Doctor was carrying as he began pressing buttons.
"Come on," he growled as they raced down the metal steps.
"The flesh whelp must be destroyed," the metalkind announced in a rough deep voice.
"No!" Meyers shouted.
"Get back," Sarah Jane ordered as Johnny set the carrier down behind them. "I won't let you hurt this child!"
"She is no child. She is a weapon," the metalkind intoned as he stalked towards them with his weapon at the ready.
"And she is unprimed," Meyers shouted in despair turning on Sarah Jane. "She isn't ready for this. You have doomed us all!"
As the metalkind moved closer and Rose's feet hit the bottom floor, Skye began to cry loudly. Rippling white energy surrounded the carrier and baby making Rose freeze in place. As she watched the energy play around the air, she summoned her sword.
"What's going on?" Rani asked as she moved away from the glowing carrier.
"The weapon is priming itself," Meyers announced with a triumphant smirk. "Your presence has activated it. The doom of the Metalkind comes!"
The energy exploded outward making the carrier and infant vanish. A shimmering ball of white and gold appeared in the air generating a field of energy that pushed Sarah Jane, Johnny and the kids all back while Rose began to creep around the metalkind. The energy field then began to shrink back and within seconds had formed into a small humanoid shape. Light exploded around them and when it faded a young girl about the age of twelve was standing barefoot in a white dress. Her wide brown eyes looked out at all of them from behind messy wavy brown hair.
"Skye?" Sarah Jane asked softly in shock.
Rose looked back towards the Doctor, praying that it wasn't too late. If Skye fully activated it would destroy not only the metalkind, but Skye herself.