CHAPTER 62
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THE WRATH OF OSWIN OSWALD
"PLANETARY TELEPORTATIONAL NULLIFYING FIELD IS IN FULL EFFECT NOW, EMPRESS. NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO LEAVE OR ENTER SKARO WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION," Daphne said as numerous alarms went off in the background in the aftermath of the Mentor's attack.
Oswin nodded as she said with a worried look, "Yeah, that protects me but what about Angie? I have absolutely no idea how to get her back before Law and Order Girl decides to kill her just for trying to save my life. I don't even know where she is. I never was exactly sure what universe that the Mentor came from in the first place. Maybe I should have let them take me after all. At least then I'd be close enough to help her."
Epsilon actually looked nervous now as he said in a hesitant voice, "ACTUALLY WE DO HAVE A WAY OF FINDING HER, EMPRESS."
Oswin began to smile now as she instantly realized what he was so afraid to say. He had established a mental link with Angela too without her knowing about it.
She immediately wrapped her arms around him and kissed the top of his casing as said, "Oh, you wonderful boy, you!"
"YOU'RE NOT ANGRY THEN?" Epsilon asked in surprise.
"Oh, I'm furious but I'm going to overlook that for now because I'm so desperate to save her. We'll definitely have a little talk about what privacy means later though," Oswin said without a smile leaving her face for a moment.
She actually thought it was sweet that Epsilon was keeping an eye out for his 'little sister'. The way that he was doing it was more than a bit creepy true but still ultimately sweet to her mind since she knew that he had meant her no harm by it.
Epsilon obviously didn't get the message implied in that smile however because he said in a worried tone, "I'M SORRY. I WON'T BREAK INTO ANYONE ELSE'S MIND WITHOUT PERMISSION AGAIN. IF YOU MUST DEMOTE ME AS A PUNISHMENT, I WILL UNDERSTAND."
Oswin rolled her eyes and continued to smile at him as she said, "Don't beat yourself up so much, Eppy. I don't like what you did but I know that your heart was in the right place so I forgive you for it. I'm not going to just let it slide though. We're just going to talk about what is and isn't acceptable later on. That's all we'll be doing though. Just talking, okay? No demotions or anything else."
Epsilon actually seemed happy now as his eyestalk went up much higher than normal and he said in a far more upbeat tone, "IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. YOU WILL HAVE NO FURTHER REASONS TO EVER BE DISAPPOINTED IN ME AGAIN, EMPRESS."
Oswin smiled at him and hugged him once more as she said, "I was never disappointed in you in the first place, Eppy. That would be impossible, you silly boy."
John couldn't help but laugh as he finally saw the truth about the Daleks' full relationship to his wife now at last. He truly never had any reason to be jealous of Epsilon at all whatsoever. Oswin really was like a mother to the Dalek.
The whole thing was like some sort of cosmic joke of the highest order. The Daleks, the deadliest beings in the universe, were now completely at the beck and call of perhaps the gentlest and most loving person in any reality. They were completely devoted to her to the point where they had actually imprinted on her so that they could be more like her in order to please her.
As a result of this, they had become a valuable ally to all of the oppressed peoples of the universe instead of their most feared enemy. It couldn't have turned out better if it had been planned that way John mused.
Indeed, human. You're far more observant than even you realize I think. I see that the Wolf has been preparing for my arrival for a very long time now it seems. Then again she always was the master of the long game, wasn't she? The silent observer in the shadows thought to himself as he quietly watched all of this unfold before him even as he listened in on John's very thoughts without him even being aware of it.
He would have to make sure that this valuable ally of his enemy was destroyed today either one way or another whether the Mentor succeeded against her or not. In his view, the less allies that the wily Time Goddess had by her side when the final endgame between them came the better.
Especially not one who was this closely tied to her. He wondered if this Empress of the Daleks and her many counterparts truly had any idea just who they really were to Rose Tyler.
If only they knew.
Then to even the hidden observer's surprise, a young woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started to instantly rush towards Oswin with a concerned look on her face.
"That's some nullifying field that you have there, Epsilon. Someone just got in anyway and they're heading right for Clara!" John shouted in alarm as he immediately pulled out a large gun and aimed at the newcomer.
"THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THE FIELD WAS DESIGNED TO KEEP EVERYONE OUT EXCEPT THOSE TRUSTED BY THE EMPRESS," Epsilon said in confusion even as he started to aim his gunstick at the rapidly approaching woman.
"I'm not here to hurt anyone. I promise. I actually came to help," The woman said as she came to a complete stop a short distance away from them while she silently gave Oswin a scrutinizing gaze from top to bottom.
Oswin immediately realized that she was checking her to see if she was alright or not. That gesture and the familiarity of this woman's eyes made her do an instant doubletake even as John and Epsilon eyed her warily and prepared to attack her at any moment.
"Gran?" Oswin asked in amazement.
Abby Oswald smiled as she said, "Yep, it's me alright. Bet you never thought that there was ever a time when I looked this good, huh?"
"What are you talking about? You never stopped looking good," Oswin said as she began to smile in relief.
"You always were a terrible liar, Clara," Abby said with a chuckle as she started to move towards her for a hug.
"Yeah, I am only this time I'm not lying," Oswin said in an earnest tone that only made Abby love her even more somehow.
"Are you sure about this, Clara? I mean does no one here question how Abby is suddenly younger than you or is it just me? She could be a very convincing fake you know?" John asked in an uncertain voice.
"Fake?! I've been called lots of things in my time, John Harkness, but phony was never one of them," Abby said in an amused voice.
Epsilon briefly scanned Abby before he pronounced, "GENETIC SCAN IS CONFIRMED. THIS IS THE SAME ABIGAIL OSWALD THAT WE KNOW WHICH IS WHY SHE WAS ALLOWED ACCESS TO THE PLANET'S SURFACE SINCE HER DNA IS PROGRAMMED INTO OUR SYSTEMS AS THAT OF AN ALLY. HER CELLS HOWEVER HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY REINVIGORATED AND ALTERED BY SOME UNIDENTIFIED OUTSIDE FORCE. SHE NOW SEEMS TO HAVE AN INDEFINITE LIFESPAN SINCE SHE NO LONGER AGES AT LEAST ACCORDING TO MY INITIAL SCANS OF HER."
"What?" Both Oswin and Abby said at once as they each looked at the Dalek in surprise.
"I – I'm immortal then? Like John's father?" Abby said in an emotional voice because she wasn't certain how she felt about that.
"THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS UNCERTAIN. I WOULD HAVE TO DO FURTHER TESTS," Epsilon said.
"She never told me any of that. I thought it was only going to be temporary," Abby said in an upset tone.
"She? Okay, Gran, what's going on here? How did you get this way in the first place? Who did this to you and an even better question . . . where is the baby?" Oswin asked in a worried voice.
Abby looked more than a bit guilty now as she said, "It was the Matriarch. She has the baby too."
"Excuse me? It sounds like you just said that the Matriarch is still alive and she has my baby," Oswin said in stunned disbelief.
"Don't have a coronary, Clara. That is what she said. She's just fine by the way. See? Say hello to your mum, sweetie," The Matriarch said as a ghostly image of her suddenly appeared in front of them holding Little Clara and making her wave her little hand at Oswin.
"You let her go!" Oswin screamed in defiance.
"Yes, I really love that field of yours more and more now, Epsilon. It seems like just about everyone can get through it," John said with a smirk even as he tried very hard not to think about just how much trouble that his daughter might be in right now.
"THE FIELD OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T KEEP OUT HARMLESS HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS LIKE THIS ONE. YOU WILL DESIST IN INSULTING DALEK TECHNOLOGY OR YOU WILL HAVE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY HOW EFFECTIVE THAT IT TRULY IS IN THE FUTURE," Epsilon said in an annoyed tone.
"Oh, is that right?" John asked in anger.
"Shut up! You can engage in your pointless little macho head games that are really just your way of venting stress because you're both incredibly worried about Little Clara later. Right now I'm going to have a few words with Undead Clara over here if you don't mind," Oswin said in a no nonsense tone.
The Matriarch sighed as she said, "Ooh, good one. Stop panicking. She's fine, Clara. I'm not going to hurt her. Gran knew that and that's why she left her with me. In fact, I'm doing you a huge favor by being here like I am. You do know that the Mentor was going to come after her next, right? Or did you really think taking her to Earth to be watched over by Gran was such a wonderful idea? No offense, Gran."
"None taken," Abby said to her with a small smile because despite everything she still ultimately trusted her somehow.
Oswin's jaw dropped now as the focus of the hologram changed to show several broken Mentor Daleks littering the floor in the background. Apparently they had already come for the baby.
"I never even thought about her going after Clara. She really is low," Oswin said in a sickened tone.
"Oh, yes. She was going to kidnap her and use her to ensure that you'd come to her world in order to stand trial since she can't get through Eppy's little field. Sorry to burst your bubble, John, but it's true. It really is working. Luckily for you though I foresaw that and decided to protect my favorite niece isn't it? Yeah, you're a lucky girl aren't you, sweetie?" The Matriarch said as she gently kissed Little Clara's forehead and caused the baby to laugh at her.
Oswin wanted to reach through the projection and punch her in that moment because she didn't like the idea of her being anywhere near her baby much less that close to her. Also if she were being honest with herself she was more than a bit jealous of her in that moment. Clara was her baby after all not the Matriarch's. And yet for some odd reason she actually did believe her when she said that all she wanted to do was protect her.
It was the worried look in her double's eyes that convinced her more than anything else. She truly was worried about the baby's safety. She knew that because she knew herself so well and apparently so did Gran.
"Keep her safe. I'm going to go after the Mentor and finally settle this once and for all. Don't get too used to having her though. I'll be back for her soon," Oswin said.
"Don't worry about her. She's safe with me. You take care of yourself instead. You're the one that they really want after all. They have to make an example out of you for daring to defy their leader," The Matriarch assured her with a serious look.
"Wait a minute. You're not actually going to leave her with the woman who almost destroyed the universe are you? I mean she did actually kill you once, Clara, or did you forget about that?" John said in a shocked voice.
"Yeah, sorry about that, Ozzie. I wasn't exactly myself back then though. The anger that the future Clara felt towards the Doctor completely dominated my mind at first and automatically made me hate anyone who tried to protect him. Thankfully I've gotten much better about that sort of thing now. I'm much more like you these days I promise," The Matriarch said.
"You seemed to be becoming more like me at the end there too in the way that you acted toward Cassiopeia. How though and now that we're on the subject how are you even still alive anyway?" Oswin asked.
"The Doctor thought that since I was created out of hate and anger that losing that anger and becoming more like you would destroy me. He was wrong though. I was only changing instead. That was why I was fading in and out because my body was being purged of all of its inner darkness as it was being remade. I was becoming something else even if I didn't realize that at the time. That's why Rose couldn't sense that I had survived because I literally wasn't the same person anymore," The Matriarch said with an enigmatic smile.
"Something else? Like what?" Oswin asked suspiciously.
"Gee. Let me think. I died and was reborn. Remind you of something that happened to you once?" The Matriarch asked with a pointed gaze.
"You're a Guardian? You?" Oswin asked in amazement.
"Bingo, Dalek Girl. I had proven to the Grace that I could be trusted with the power by helping to save Cass and trying my best to undo the mess that I had made of reality. So since I showed that I had learned my lesson about controlling reality I was promoted and given a new job. Say hello to the new Amber Guardian, the Guardian of Reality. I can alter reality and the very timelines themselves if I want. Not that I would of course. I'm definitely not going through that mess again. I'll be there to protect the universe against that sort of thing from now on," The Matriarch explained.
The hidden watcher now couldn't help but wonder about this new development as he quietly watched events unfold before him.
This was truly unexpected. Even he hadn't forseen this. Were the Grace aware of his return as well and had they created this Guardian specifically to stop his future plans?
Before he could think about this any further however something he actually had foreseen happened next as several of the Mentor's Daleks suddenly appeared in the room and started to attack.
"THE FIELD HAS BEEN BREACHED! PROTECT THE EMPRESS!" Daphne shouted in alarm as she and Epsilon both circled Oswin protectively even as several more of Oswin's Daleks instantly teleported into her private quarters to protect her.
"EXTERMINATE!" Oswin's Daleks chanted as they created a constant circle of protective firepower around Oswin that made it almost impossible for her enemies to reach her.
Almost was the key word though as Oswin soon found out when one of the Mentor's Daleks actually got through and wrapped a pincer like arm around her right wrist. Before she even had a chance to teleport away from it, it temporarily stunned her with a quick blast to the head. Ordinarily that would have been the end of it right then and there, and Oswin would have gone off to join Angela in the very next moment.
That is she would have if Abby hadn't been there.
"I don't think so, you bloody Pepper Pot," Abby said as she used one of her gauntlets to instantly kill the Dalek with a precisely aimed shot that had gone straight through its eyepiece.
Before she could pull Oswin free from its remains however she was set upon by still more of the enemy Daleks that had managed to get through. Before they even had a chance to attack her however they were all instantly hit by several well-placed shots in each and every one of the weakest points in their casings and were completely blown apart.
"It's good to see that I've still got it after all of these years and here I thought that I'd be rusty," Abby said with a pleased grin on her face.
Then she looked at the remaining Daleks as she said, "That was just target practice. Now I'm ready for the main thing. Next."
The rest of the Mentor's Daleks immediately fled for their lives as they shouted in unison, "Retreat! Retreat!"
"Whoa," John said as he stared at Abby in shock.
"NOW I SEE WHERE THE EMPRESS GETS HER STRENGTH," Epsilon said in an impressed tone.
"You're just saying that because you're afraid that she'll blow you apart next," The newly awakened Oswin said with a chuckle.
"PARTIALLY," Epsilon admitted without hesitation.
"Don't worry. I actually like you lot and I never thought that I'd be saying that about any Daleks. I used to hate you buggers with a passion once. Ironic, huh? I guess almost anything can change if you live long enough," Abby said with a distant look in her eyes for a moment.
"You don't have to be immortal if you don't want to be. I can always undo what I did to you later . . . if that's what you want. You have to admit that you were very much needed just now though," The Matriarch's holographic image said as she guessed what Abby was thinking from the expression on her face.
"Yeah, I was wasn't I? I have to admit that it felt pretty good too. I'm not sure if I'd like to do it on a regular basis or not though. I'll have to get back to you later about that," Abby responded.
"No, she won't because I already have an answer for you right now. You're turning her back to normal as soon as you can. I won't have her getting killed on my watch," Oswin said in a defiant tone.
"Oi! You're the one who was almost kidnapped while I saved you," Abby protested.
"I know but . . . I wouldn't feel right about risking your life," Oswin said as she looked at her with a worried look on her face.
"You wouldn't be. I'd be doing it of my own free will just as I am now. Oh, and don't think that I don't feel the same way about you and all of my other Claras risking your lives on a constant basis either. I'm always constantly worrying about you too. It goes both ways you know?" Abby said.
Oswin nodded as she said, "Yeah, I guess I never really thought about how it must affect you to know that I'm in constant danger. Maybe I didn't want to think about it because then I'd feel more than a bit guilty."
"Don't. You're a grown woman now and should be able to make your own decisions even if I don't always agree with them. And you should give me the same courtesy. I am your elder after all even if I don't currently look like it," Abby said with a brief smile.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm going to go on the record and officially say that I definitely don't like it though," Oswin said.
"Now you know exactly how I feel. Oh, and expect to have this same conversation again with your daughter in the future," Abby said with an evil grin.
"Yeah, I'm sure that I will. No wonder she seemed to be so angry at me. If she's anything like me, I'm sure we'll get in lots of fights over her putting herself in danger. I really look forward to that alright," Oswin said with a groan.
"It won't be so bad. She'll love you with all of her heart even if she constantly wants to tell you off for being so pushy all of the time," The Matriarch said with a fond smile.
"Don't tell me. She comes to Clara with all of her grievances against me," Oswin said with a grimace.
"Yep. She tells me, I mean her, all of the dirt. We bonded over you. That's why she's my favorite. We had a common enemy," The Matriarch admitted with a giggle.
"Very funny," Oswin said as she tried to suppress a smile.
"Why, Clara, I do believe that we're bonding too. You're starting to like me aren't you? I'm not so bad now that I'm not full of blinding hatred for everyone am I?" The Matriarch said with a mischievous smile.
That was when a psychic projection from the Mentor appeared alongside the Matriarch's image and said, "I thought that you might like to at least watch as I hold your second in command's trial even if you can't bother to attend in person. Don't worry, Empress, it won't take too much of your valuable time. It should be over with rather quickly in fact because it's an open and shut case. If you have any last words to say to her, I suggest that you say them now."
"I love how you're already assuming that she's guilty of these so-called crimes of yours before you even hear a word of what she has to say. Yours sounds like a kangaroo court if I ever heard of one," Oswin said with open disdain.
"You dare to question my justice? Who do you think that you are? I am the supreme authority on dozens upon dozens of worlds. None of them would dare to question my judgment this way," The Mentor said in a voice filled with venom.
"I bet they wouldn't. Otherwise they'd get shot wouldn't they? Maybe it's time someone changed all of that," Oswin said in a voice that was rapidly filling with a venom all of its own.
"If you think that you can overthrow me, then come here to my world and give it your best shot. Or are you too afraid that your Daleks won't be up to the challenge?" The Mentor said with a more than a note of condescencion in her voice.
"Oh, don't you worry about that. They're more than up to it alright. A fact that you're about to find out any minute now. You see my other second in command has known where Angela is for some time now and if I know him he's already sent every Dalek that he can spare to go after her. He never even bothered to ask for my permission because he was so worried about her. Am I right, Eppy?" Oswin said with a smug grin.
"YOU ARE . . . CORRECT, EMPRESS," Epsilon admitted as he looked away from her.
"YOU ACTUALLY ISSUED AN ORDER ON YOUR OWN WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH YOUR SUPERIOR FIRST?" Daphne asked in shock as she and the other Daleks in the room all stared at him in silent judgment.
"YES," Epsilon said in a voice filled with shame.
Oswin however was elated as she said with a huge grin, "Good job. Finally I have one of you thinking for yourself. Let's hope that it's the beginning of a trend, eh?"
"YOU DON'T CARE THAT HE BROKE THE CHAIN OF COMMAND?" Daphne asked in bewilderment.
"Not when he did it to help Angela. No. No, I don't. In fact, I expect him to think on his own instead of having to ask me before each and every decision. Do you get it now, Daph? You all need to follow your own conscience sometimes and take the initiative, orders or no orders," Oswin said.
"I – I DO NOT UNDERSTAND," Daphne said in confusion.
"That's okay. Maybe someday you will," Oswin said with a soft smile.
"You actually encourage such behavior in your soldiers? No wonder you haven't conquered your universe yet. You know nothing about being a proper leader," The Mentor said with mocking laughter.
Then her laughter immediately stopped as several explosions went off behind her.
"What was that, Menty? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my Daleks completely trashing your so-called courtroom. It's not so funny now is it?" Oswin said with a smirk.
"This isn't over yet. Your forces may have a momentary advantage but they will still lose the overall battle. You won't save her. Nothing has ever been able to delay my justice once it's set into motion," The Mentor said in a firm tone.
"Maybe it's time someone changed that too," Oswin said in a cold voice.
The Mentor laughed despite the ever increasing series of explosions going on behind her as she said, "And you think that will be you? Come here in person then if you have the courage. Come here and tell me to my face what you think of my justice."
"Don't worry . . ." Oswin said as she suddenly teleported away.
She quickly reappeared a moment later right in front of the startled Mentor just in time to blast her with both of her gauntlets at once at full power as she finished, ". . . I will."
As the Dalek leader went sailing across the room, Oswin smiled in triumph and said, "I've been tracing your signal so that I could do exactly that. I was just waiting until my equipment could get a proper lock on it. Now it's long past time that you and I had a proper showdown, Mentor. Don't you think?"
"Very clever, Dalek Empress. You struck exactly when you knew that my Daleks would be too busy fighting your forces to assist me. It doesn't matter in the end though. I'm far from finished just because I'm alone. You're about to find out that my power is far superior to yours. You will not survive to tell anyone of your blatant disregard for me on this day," The Mentor said with unbridled hatred as she began immediately firing everything that she had straight at Oswin.
"Oh, but I will and you want to know why? You threatened one of my own. You never should have done that, Tyrant Girl, because now nothing in this universe will save you from me," Oswin said as she drove her back with yet another massive blast.
John, Abby, Epsilon, Daphne, and a small army of Daleks now appeared behind her and began to open fire on the Mentor as well in a combined assault as Oswin added, "Or from the power of the Daleks. Now you're about to face my justice. Give her back to me or I'll turn this entire world into cinders!"
Even as the Mentor fought back against overwhelming odds while her own forces were busy fighting the rest of Oswin's Daleks in the courtroom, back on Earth the Matriarch ended her holographic transmission with a pleased smile. She was sure that Oswin had things well in hand on her end.
The Matriarch now looked down at a content looking Little Clara as she said, "So you see, sweetie, I started out as something born of hatred and anger, but I gradually overcame that and became someone new instead. Someone better. The Grace only strengthened what was already there really. I think that part of that was because that anger came from love in the first place. I had lost my friend after all. Or was she more than a friend, and I just never realized it at the time? Why don't you enlighten me on that, Rose?"
She now turned to see Rose standing there staring at her as she added, "I knew that you would find out about me before long. You always find out everything eventually after all. So tell me the truth, Rose. Who is Cassiopeia to me and to the other Claras? For that matter, who are you?"
"It's a long story and a bit difficult to explain, yeah?" Rose said hesitantly.
The Matriarch laughed as she said, "I bet it is. Go ahead then. I have all the time in the world. Clara's going to be a while with the Mentor I think and Little Clara here doesn't mind. Do you, sweetie? So go ahead and tell me all about it, Rose. Or should I call you Mum instead?"
Rose's eyes widened as the Matriarch smiled in triumph. She had been right.
Of course. Only someone born of the Bad Wolf could use her power without being completely destroyed by it. That explains so much about Arkytior's connection to Clara Oswald. I need to know more though. I need to hear the full story. The same shadowy figure who had been on Skaro earlier thought to himself with a triumphant smile.
The Brethren had to know all of Rose Tyler's secrets if they were to defeat her and claim all of reality for themselves after all.
Next: Oswin fights the Mentor for Angela's life on the Mentor's world even as Rose tells the Matriarch the hidden origin of Clara Oswald back on Earth. How in the world could Rose be Clara's mother? Maybe all is not as it seems and it really is a long story. We'll find out next time and unfortunately so will our mystery villain it seems. Who is he and what is his connection to the mysterious Brethren? Don't worry. I'll explain who they are too for those of you who haven't encountered them just yet.