Child of Earth

By Lumendea

Chapter Sixty-Three: Total Eclipse: The Enterprise

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.

….

The TARDIS shuddered, her mother shrieked and Rose looked over to check on her. The Doctor wasn't at all bothered and just flipped another switch. Then they landed a few moments later. Exhaling slowly, Rose reached up and patted the central column. She hoped they were in the right place. Jackie raced for the door and threw them open before Rose could stop her.

They had landed in a small storage room. There were shelves bolted to the walls with heavy crates secured in place by multiple clamps. That right there made Rose fairly sure that they were indeed on the Enterprise. She caught her mother's arm.

"Easy mum," Rose said. "We're fine, see."

"We've moved," Jackie turned to stare at the blue box. "Does it fly?"

"Disappears there and reappears here," the Doctor said. He closed the doors of the TARDIS and looked around. "You wouldn't understand."

"Listen, you-"

Soldiers rushed into the room. Unlike on Earth, they were armed with much smaller firearms and Rose recognised them as the electric stun variety. Jackie squealed and placed herself in front of Rose. Thankfully the leader, a young sergeant took one look at the TARDIS behind them and yelled for them all to stand down.

"Hi there," Rose greeted. She forced her way around her mum. "I'm Rose, he's the Doctor and we need some help with the sun going out crisis."

"Doctor," one of the crew said. "It's good to have you here sir!"

The assembled crew saluted and the Doctor's shoulders tightened. Rose stepped over next to the Doctor, giving him a reassuring smile before turning her attention back to the guards.

"Sorry to drop in like this, but we need to speak with Colonel Frost," she said. "And don't worry about saluting, we're not officers and we haven't the time."

"Uh, yes ma'am," the sergeant said. "If you'll come with me Doctor, Miss Tyler I'll take you to the Colonel."

The Doctor followed them out and Rose looked at her mother. Jackie looked ready to cry or scream, but instead huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She gave Rose a look and followed them out. Rose held back a sigh. She wasn't sure if she was in trouble or not, even she couldn't' figure out what was going on in Jackie Tyler's head. Vaguely, she heard one of the new escorts call the bridge.

Outside the storage room, they entered a wide corridor with lots of doors leading off of it. Crewmembers in their uniforms or medical or science attire passed them, giving their little trio curious looks. Many nodded to her respectfully and looked her mother in surprise. Following the soldiers, they walked into a corridor that followed the edge of the ship. A large thick window looked out into space.

"In here," the sergeant said. "This is the meeting room. We've already alert Colonel Frost that you're onboard."

"Right then," the Doctor said. He gave them a manic smile and headed into the room.

"I'm in space!" Jackie's soft cry made Rose smile and she turned to find her mum looking down at the Earth through the large window. "I'm actually in space." Her voice was thin and small.

"Beautiful isn't it Mum?" Rose said. Stepping over next to her mum, Rose took in Jackie's shocked and awestruck expression. "Welcome to the future."

"This is really a spaceship?" Jackie asked. "We're not in some sort of set and that just a telly. You're not having me on."

"Mum I love you, but there really isn't anything that would motivate me to put on this sort of a show." She tilted her head towards the window. "You're really on a spaceship. Uh, don't touch anything unless one of the crew tells you to. Enterprise still has some bugs they're working out, it is the first Earth starship."

"What about the shuttles?"

"This is the first ship that has an engine capable of leaving the solar system," Rose said. "And it is still a secret so you can't talk about it."

"But-"

"Not with anyone." Rose tried to sound stern. "Enterprise's mission is to monitor Earth for threats and serve as a communication relay to currently known alien species." Rose glanced towards the waiting soldiers. "She's due to go public next year and help in a mission to Mars."

"Taxpayer dollars at work," Jackie muttered. "But I suppose with all the aliens around here it's useful."

"It helps and hopefully it will let us resolve this issue with Eclipse without having to go to full-scale war against their bunker." Rose knew that it would come to that eventually, but at least if they pulled this off they wouldn't have the countdown to a new Ice Age to rush against. "We have to keep going," Rose said gently.

"I can stay with her," the sergeant volunteered. He offered Rose a small smile, looking very eager. "You need to speak with the Captain ma'am."

"Okay," Rose agreed. Jackie looked ready to argue and Rose squeezed her hand. "I'll be right through that door mum, but Frost and the Doctor don't know each other."

She could tell that her mum wasn't convinced. Rose leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I promise we'll talk soon mum and I am sorry that this happened." She took a step back and silently begged her mum to understand. "I love you, but I have to make sure that Earth is going to be okay."

Her mum hesitated, a dozen emotions churning her eyes, but then she nodded. Rose could tell she wasn't happy, but it was probably as close to a real blessing as she was even going to get. Giving her mum a smile, Rose kissed her cheek again quickly before stepping into the room.

It was a small office space with a large table in the centre and chairs that were secured to the floor. There were no windows and it had pale grey walls. It was boring, but Rose suspected it was staff meetings. The Doctor was tense, pacing like a panther in the small office. Rose stayed quiet and just watched him as the sound of her mum's voice washed over them from the next room. Part of Rose knew that she should really rescue the sergeant from Jackie's questions and potential flirting, but she was now much more worried about the Doctor.

"You okay?"

"Fine," the Doctor said. "Fine."

"Look they're military, I get it, I know," Rose said gently. "I have a good relationship with UNIT now, but Benton always had to drag me to me my annual inspections because of how much I don't like guns."

The Doctor's posture didn't change much and Rose flashed back to Utah. He might not like guns, but that didn't stop him from picking them up either. "Frost is good," she promised. "She may be a soldier, but she's as good as they come. Right up there with Alistair and John." That caught his attention and he glanced up at her. "Not long ago, the Qreiz'elt came to Earth and there was a big mess with Eclipse using their presence as a chance to make a power play. They got into the U.N. Security Council and I was supposed to be arrested. Frost disobeyed orders and staged a mutiny in order to help me." Rose smiled at the Doctor even as his eyes widened in surprise and worry. "So really, she's a good person, military or not. So please try to be patient with her."

He nodded. "How your mother?"

"Overwhelmed," Rose said. "I'll need to talk with her, but right now I'm not even sure how to start that conversation." Shaking her head, Rose sighed. "I still can't believe they kidnapped her."

"You're easy to find." The Doctor looked over at her. His eyes were soft but fearful. "All a person has to do is look up Rose Tyler and they'll find you and your family."

"I know." Rose leaned against the table and tapped her fingers against the edge of it. "I've been warned about that in the past, but…" Trailing off, Rose shook her head.

Frost strode into the room. Her blonde hair was piled on her head and she looked tired but determined. She nodded quickly to Rose and her hand tightened at her side, probably as she fought back the urge to salute as she looked at the Doctor.

"Welcome back to the Enterprise Doctor."

"Back?"

"Not yet," Rose said quickly. "That's his future Frost."

"Understood Thorn," Frost replied. "I'm sorry we haven't the time for a tour, sir. I am Colonel Elizabeth Frost, captain of the Enterprise."

"You're aware of the situation on Earth?"

"Yes Doctor, we've been running scans and circling the Earth in an attempt to build a picture of what is happening, but I'm afraid that we've had limited success."

"Has there been any demands from Eclipse?" Rose asked.

"I'm afraid so. After the first event, they sent a warning message to the security council declaring that they could block out the sun again." Frost's expression was completely calm. "Obviously UNIT has been working on tracking them."

"We know where they are," the Doctor said. "But the bunker is TARDIS-proof and it'll take days to get in."

"We haven't got days," Frost protested. "They want the surrender of the United Nations and several countries to them within six hours or they will put up the barrier for good. That means a new Ice Age."

"Actually it will probably cook all of you," the Doctor said. Rose turned and stared at him in shock over his calm tone. "Enclosing the Earth in a carbon field would prevent heat from escaping. You generate it artificially so Earth would heat up despite no direct sunlight."

"It would be bad anyway it goes," Rose cut in. "Let's focus on that yeah."

"Right." The Doctor looked at Frost. "You've been gathering information?"

"Yes, we've been running scans on changes in atmospheric makeup."

"Show me."

"Of course sir," Frost replied. "If you'll follow me."

"Look, Doctor, work on that plan. I need to check on my mum." Rose paused and licked her lips nervously. "I'll catch up with you. Okay?"

"Yeah, fine Rose," the Doctor replied. He seemed a bit nervous too. "Everything alright?"

"Sure fine," Rose said quickly. "I just… I haven't told her that I leaving with you." Rose shrugged and gestured around. "Not the best time, but since we're just waiting…"

"Go on then." The Doctor was smiling a bit more and Rose returned the warm look.

She left the room and found the sergeant standing a few feet from her mother. He shifted a bit nervously and Rose walked over to join her mother. "What do you think Mum? Enterprise was built from a combination of Earth and alien technology as we learned how it worked. I'd say she's the most advanced technology the human race possesses, but that's probably not true."

"Seems a bit much."

"Well she is very large, but that helps maintain a gravity field," Rose explained. "That's why we can stand normally in here. Without that and some technology we'd just be floating." Rose pointed towards some small indents along the wall. "There are actually hand holds throughout the ship just in case that happens."

"You must hate the fact that I'm so stupid," Jackie grumbled. "You understand all of this!"

"I don't hate you, Mum," Rose said seriously. She turned and took her Mum's hands, looking her straight in the eye and willing her to believe her. "To be honest… I'm not sure I've ever given you enough credit." Rose smiled a little and shook her head. "When I got started in all this, started saving the world on a more routine basis I sort of figured those parts of my personality came from Dad, but not all of them. Brushing myself off and keeping going, I got that from you. Doing what I can with whatever I've got, that's from you."

"Rose-" Jackie sniffed and shook her head. "I could never do what you do. I could never save the world."

"Saving the world can be simple, though, not the actions, but the emotions," Rose said thoughtfully. "It's big picture. If you fail… well, you won't be around to have regrets or second guess yourself." Rose chuckled. "But Mum you were a single mum before you were my age. I couldn't have done that. I would have been paralysed by fear, of getting it wrong."

"I was," Jackie insisted. "I was sure you'd end up hating me or resenting me!"

"Never," Rose promised. "I don't and I won't." Rose squeezed her mum's hands. Taking a deep breath, she considering sending the sergeant away, but so far he was giving them some distance. "I know I'm not what you imagined your daughter would turn out like, but I'm happy with who I am. Even with as strange as it all is."

Taking a moment, Rose licked her lips and risked a glance out the window. The stars twinkled at her and Earth hung in the air like a jewel of blue and green. Now or never, she'd put it off too long as it was.

"Mum, look I haven't told you about what I'm doing after graduation."

"Working for UNIT I assume," Jackie said. She tilted her head and considered her hopefully. "Unless your friend the Prime Minister offered you a nice safe job in London."

"Uh… sorry Mum no." Rose braced herself for the worst. "I'm going to go travelling for… well awhile at least." More like the rest of her life since the Doctor was her fiancé and the father of her future children even if he didn't know that yet. Her mum didn't need to know that part yet. "In outer space, in the TARDIS with the Doctor."

Shock overtook Jackie's face and for once her mum was completely speechless. Rose was too nervous to enjoy it properly. "So you're just going to leave?"

"I'll visit," Rose said. "I promise, but Mum…" She hesitated. It seemed too much to tell her mum that half the threats coming to Earth were probably her fault or reveal that there were cosmic forces involved in her life. "I don't belong here."

"But you have friends here, and you could keep working at UNIT." Jackie sniffed again. "I won't argue with that anymore! I promise." She gestured around frantically. "You can even work on this ship. I won't like it, but that'll be okay!"

"That's not why I want to go and travel," Rose said urgently. "Mum I've already been into space before and if you could see it all you'd never stay home. It's brilliant and wonderful. There's so much life and so many cultures and just… people. It's beautiful and I love it and I've been wanting to go for years. I only stayed this long because I really worked hard to get into Cambridge."

"But-but I don't want you to!"

"Mum I'm an adult and I want to go," Rose said firmly. She tried to keep her voice calm and even. "I'll be fine. I'm experienced at this remember. I'll just be saving a few others planets now and able to see amazing things." Jackie's horror hadn't faded and after a moment of debate Rose decided to play dirty. "It makes me happy."

"But-but-"

"I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you," Rose apologised. "I just wasn't sure how you'd take it."

"Poorly!" Jackie whirled and glowered at her. "First it's aliens! Then it's going off to school and more aliens! Rose a sane person wouldn't go rushing off into space. It's not safe!"

"Life on Earth isn't safe," Rose insisted. "Just… look Mum Eclipse kidnapped you! They sent an agent to seduce you," Jackie glared at her words. "And then captured you in order to keep me from helping! That isn't safe either. Earth is no safer for me than life with the Doctor!"

"You could try!" Jackie argued. "Marry Mickey-"

"No Mum," Rose interrupted before Jackie could take that thought any further. "I don't' have those sorts of feelings for Mickey, never have and he's finally moving on so don't go stirring that up."

"He's a fine young man!"

"Yes he is, but he works for UNIT. Even if and that is an impossible if I did become involved with him I'd still be connected to UNIT." Rose struggled to organise her own thoughts. "Mum this is my life. I thought you'd accepted that."

"That was before you revealed that you won't even stay on Earth!"

"I just want to see the universe," Rose said. She sighed and looked out the window again. "Mum I don't want to look up at the stars and wonder, I want to know. It's not about you or Mickey or UNIT or even Eclipse, it's about me."

Jackie turned and looked out the window once more. She was biting her lip and Rose's chest tightened. Her mother's stance and hard expression were familiar, all too familiar. Once again Rose had put them there. She heard the sergeant shifting behind them uncomfortably and looked down at Earth. It was in danger and helping the Doctor would at least distract her. Leaning forward before Jackie could move away, Rose kissed her mum's cheek.

"I'm sorry I'm such a poor daughter," Rose said. "But I am what I am. I love you, Mum. Stay safe."

She turned and strode over to the sergeant. Thankfully her voice stayed even as Rose asked where she could find the Doctor and Frost. The uncomfortable looking sergeant pointed her in the right direction with his calm military expression still firmly in place. Without looking back at her mother, Rose headed off. Time to the save the world, that was less complicated.