Across the Stars

by Amy Thorton

So many tales of the Doctor have been told. None of them were complete truth. Rule number one: The Doctor lies. This greatest lie he ever told was about a girl. You see him flirt, love, even marry other women, but that's because he was keeping her safe. This is the story of Emma Williams. The girl who shouldn't have existed.

8. Compassion, Weakness or Strength

Chapter Eight: Compassion, Weakness or Strength

---

A ray shot out from the spaceship and Emma's eyes widened as all the lights in the city went off.
"Oh… Doctor! The lights!"
"Turn those lights off now!" shouted the Doctor. "Turn London off or I swear I will use the Tardis self-destruct."
"Stalemate. Doctor," said a Dalek. "Leave. Us. And. Return. To. Earth."
"Oh, that's it. That's your great victory? You leave?"
"Extinction. Is. Not. An. Option. We. Shall. Return. To. Our. Own. Time. And. Begin. Again."
"No! I won't let you get away from time. I won't."
"We. Have. Succeeded. DNA. Reconstruction. Is. Complete. Observe. Doctor. A New Dalek Paradigm."

From the Progenitor cabinet, five restyled Daleks rolled out.
"The. Progenitor. Has. Fulfilled. Our. New. Destiny. Behold. The Restoration. Of. The Daleks. The Resurrection. Of. The. Master. Race."

The Daleks began chanting.
"All. Hail. The. New. Daleks. All. Hail. The. New. Daleks."
"Yes. You are inferior," said the White Dalek.
"Yes."
"Then. Prepare."
"We. Are. Ready."
"Cleanse. The. Unclean. Total. Obliteration. Disintegrate."

Emma jumped back as the old Daleks and the gold one were destroyed.
"Blimey," said the Doctor. "What do you do to the ones who mess up?"
"You. Are. The. Doctor. You. Must. Be. Exterminated."
"Don't mess with me, sweetheart," the Doctor warned.
"We. Are. The. Paradigm. Of. A. New. Dalek. Race. Scientist. Strategist. Drone. External. And. The. Supreme."
"Which would be you, I'm guessing," the Doctor said.
"You can tell from the paint," Emma shrugged. "It's pretty supreme."
"Very true, Emma. Question is, what do we do now? Either you turn off your clever machine or I'll blow you and your new paradigm into eternity."
"And. Yourself."
"Occupational hazard."
"Scan. Reveals. Nothing. Tardis. Self. Destruct. Device. Non-Existent."

With a shrug, the Doctor tossed the Jammy Dodger over his shoulder.
"All right, it's a Jammy Dodger, but I was promised tea." An alarm went off and the blue Dalek spoke.
"Alert. Unidentified. Projectile. Approaching. Correction. Multiple. Projectiles."
"What. Have. The. Humans. Done?" questioned Supreme.
"I don't know," said the Doctor.
"Explain. Explain. Explain."

Suddenly, Bracewell's voice came over the intercom system.
"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Danny Boy to the Doctor. Are you receiving me? Over."
"Oh ho!" cheered the Doctor. "Winston, you beauty."
"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Come in. Over."
"Loud and clear, Danny Boy. Big dish, side of the ship. Blow it up. Over."
"EXTERMINATE. THE. DOCTOR!" yelled Supreme.

Emma peered out the ship's window to see planes flying around. A flash from the Dalek's beam took out several of the planes until only one remained. The Doctor yanked Emma into the Tardis, the doors slamming shut behind her.
"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Only me left now. Anything you can do, sir? Over?"
"The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. I can disrupt the Dalek shields, but not for long. Over."
"Good show, Doctor. Go to it. Over."
"Emma, come hold this!"

Hurrying over, Emma took hold of a lever as the Doctor lifted his sonic screwdriver.
"I'm going in. Wish me luck. Over." An explosion rocked the Tardis and Bracewell's voice came through the speakers again. "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Going in for another attack."
"The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Destroy this shop. Over."
"What about you, Doctor?"
"I'll be okay."
"Doctor. Call. Off. Your Attack!"
"Ah ha! What, and let you scuttle off back to the future? No fear. This is the end for you. The final end." Emma peered at the Supreme Dalek through the scanner.
"Call. Off. The. Attack. Or. We. Will. Destroy. The. Earth."
"I'm not stupid, mate. You've just played your last card."
"Bracewell. Is. A. Bomb."
"You're bluffing," the Doctor snapped. "Deception's second nature to you. There isn't a sincere bone in your body. There isn't a bone in your body."

A projection of the Supreme Dalek appeared on the holo-screen.
"His. Power. Is. Derived. From. Oblivion. Continuum. Call. Off. Your. Attack. Or. We. Will. Detonate. The Android."
"No! This is my best chance ever. The last of the Daleks. I can rid the Universe of you, once and for all."
"Then. Do. It. But. We. Will. Shatter. The. Planet. Below. The. Earth. Will. Die. Screaming."
"Yeah, and if I let you go, you'll be stronger than ever. A new race of Daleks."
"Then. Choose. Doctor. Destroy. The. Daleks. Or. Save. The. Earth."

Swallowing, the Doctor shook his head several times.
"Begin. Countdown. Of. Oblivion. Continuum. Choose. Doctor. Choose. Choose!" The Doctor looked to Emma.
"He has to withdraw," she said. "Even the slightest chance they aren't bluffing."
"The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Withdraw."
"Say again, sir? Over."
"Withdraw. Return to Earth. Over and out."
"But sir…"
"There is no time! You have to return to Earth now. Over."

The Tardis shook and then the Doctor took off through the doors. Emma went to follow, but the words of the Supreme Dalek caused her to pause.
"The. Doctor. Has. Failed. His. Compassion. Is. His. Greatest. Weakness. Daleks. Have. No. Such. Weakness." Those words couldn't be further from the truth. Compassion wasn't weakness. It was strength. It proved that he cared. "Emma!"

Amy's voice jolted Emma from her musing. She darted through the doors of the Tardis, through the filing room, and then found Amy, the Doctor, Bracewell, and several others in the map room. Bracewell was lying on a table, the Doctor looking at five yellow segments of a circle in Bracewell's open chest.
"There's a blue wire or something you have to cut, isn't there?" asked Amy. "There's always a blue wire. Or a red one."
"You're not helping," the Doctor muttered.
"It's incredible," Churchill remarked. "He talked to us about his memories. The Great War."
"Someone else's stolen thoughts, implanted in a positronic brain… Tell me about it, Bracewell. Tell me about your life."
"Doctor, I really don't think this is the time."

Reaching out, Emma grasped Bracewell's hand.
"Tell us," she urged. "Prove you're human."
"Well… uh… where do I start?"
"Tell me about your family."
"My family ran the Post Office. It's a little place just near the abbey, just by the ash trees. There used to be eight trees but there was a storm."
"And your parents?" the Doctor rushed. "Come on, tell me."
"Good people. Kind people. They died. Scarlet fever."
"What was that like?" asked the Doctor. "How did it feel? How did it make you feel, Edwin? Tell me. Tell me now."
"It hurt. It hurt, Doctor, it hurt so badly. It was like a wound. I thought it was worse than a wound. Like I'd been emptied out. There was nothing left."

Inside his chest, the segments were turning different colours. Two red, one yellow, and two blue.
"Remember it now, Edwin," the Doctor ordered. "The ash trees by the Post Office and your mum and dad, and losing them, and men in the trenches you saw die. Remember it. Feel it. You feel it because you're human. You're not like them. You're not like the Daleks."
"It hurts, Doctor," Bracewell cried. "It hurts so much."
"Good! Good, good, brilliant. Embrace it. That means you're alive. They cannot explode that bomb because you're a human being. You are flesh and blood. They cannot explode that bomb. Believe it. You are Professor Edwin Bracewell, and you, my friend, are a human being."

The segments were now red, aside from one.
"It's not working," the Doctor said."I can't stop it." Amy piped up from beside them.
"Hey, Paisley. Ever fancied someone you know you shouldn't?"
"What?"
"It hurts, doesn't it? But kind of a good hurt."
"Oh, I really shouldn't talk about her."
"Oh?" asked Emma, a sly smile appearing on her lips."What's her name?"
"Dorabella."
"That's a lovely name," Emma sighed. "It's a beautiful name."
"What was she like, Edwin?" Amy asked.
"Oh, such a smile. And her eyes. Her eyes were so blue. Almost violet, like the last touch of sunset on the edge of the world. Dorabella."

The Doctor let out a loud whoop as all the segments turned back to blue.
"Welcome to the human race!" He pointed at Churchill, then Bracewell, and then Amy.
"You're brilliant. You're brilliant. And you! Now! Got to stop them. Stop the Daleks." He started off, but Bracewell called after him.
"Wait, Doctor. Wait, wait. It's too late. They've gone."
"No… No! They can't. They can't have got away from me again!" the Doctor despaired.
"Doctor, it's okay," said Amy. "You did it. You stopped the bomb… Doctor?"
"I had a choice. And they knew I'd choose the Earth. The Daleks have won. They beat me. They've won."
"But you saved the Earth," Emma soothed.
"Yeah!" cheered Amy. "Not too shabby, is it? Is it?"
"No, it's not too shabby."
"It's a brilliant achievement, my dear friend," Churchill said. "Here, have a cigar." He held out a cigar and the Doctor shook his head.
"Absolutely not."

The next morning, Amy and Emma walked with Churchill. Looking around, Amy crossed her arms.
"So… what now, then?"
"I still have a war to run, Miss Pond."
"Prime Minister," called Blanche, a secretary. She handed him a note, which he read quickly.
"Oh, thank you… Oh, they hit the Palace and Saint Paul's again. Fire crews only just saved it." From across the room, a young woman burst into tears.
"Is she okay?" Amy asked.
"What?" questioned Churchill. "She looks very upset."
"Oh, Miss Breen? Her young man didn't make it, I'm afraid. Just got word. Shot down over the Channel. Where's the Doctor?"

The Doctor appeared beside them with a grin.
"Tying up loose ends. I've taken out all the alien tech Bracewell put it."
"Won't you reconsider, Doctor?" asked Churchill. "Those Spitfires would win me the war in twenty hours."
"Exactly."
"But why not? Why can't we put an end to all this misery?"
"Oh, it doesn't work like that, Winston, and it's going to be tough. There are terrible days to come. The darkest days. But you can do it. You know you can."
"Stay with us and help us win though. The world needs you!"
"No," corrected Emma before the Doctor could speak.
"No?" Churchill repeated.
"The world doesn't need the Doctor when it's got a Winston Churchill."
"Ha!" Churchill smiled fondly at her. "It's been a pleasure, Emma."
"As always, Winston."

The man turned to the Doctor.
"Goodbye, Doctor?"
"Oh, shall we say adieu?" The two embraced as Churchill chuckled.
"Indeed." He turned to Amy.
"Goodbye, Miss Pond."
"It's been amazing meeting you," she said.
"I'm sure it has." She kissed his cheek then he started walking away.
"Oi, Churchill!" she called after him. "Tardis key. The one you just took from the Doctor."
"Oh, she's good, Doctor," Churchill grinned. "As sharp as a pin. Almost as sharp as me." He gave her the key and she grinned before passing it back to the Doctor.

Emma watched him go, jumping slightly when the Doctor slid his hand into hers.
"Ready, Emma?" he asked.
"Time to leave?" she yawned.
"Yep."

He swung their hands between them as they walked down to the filing room. They had to pass through the laboratory where they found Bracewell waiting for them.
"I've been expecting you, Doctor. I knew this moment had to come."
"Moment?" the Doctor questioned.
"It's time to de-activate me."
"Is it? Oh. Er, yeah."
"You have no choice. I'm Dalek technology. Can't allow me to go pottering around here where I have no business."
"No, you're dead right, Professor. A hundred percent right. And by the time I get back here in, what, ten minutes?"
"Eh, more like fifteen," Emma said.
"Fifteen minutes, yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do. You are going to be so de-activated. It's going to be like you've never even been activated."
"Yeah," Amy agreed.
"Fifteen minutes?" Bracewell asked.
"Probably twenty," Amy said. "Yeah… we see to the urgent thing we've got to see. The, the… See?"
"Very well, Doctor. I shall wait here and prepare myself."

Laughing quietly, Emma shook her head because he wasn't understanding them.
"That Dalek tech a bit slow on the uptake," remarked Amy. "That thing we've got to do, it's going to take half an hour, realistic, isn't it, Doctor?"
"Easily."
"Edwin," Emma said gently. He looked at her. "Go find that little post office with the ash trees. Or better yet, go find Dorabella. There is a lot you can get done in half an hour and you really should make the best of it."

Realization dawned on Bracewell's face and a smile appeared.
"Thank you. Thank you!" Emma winked at him as the Doctor grinned. He gently tugged her to his side.
"Come along, Emma. Pond!"

Entering the filing room, Amy paused mid-step.
"So… you have enemies then?"
"Everyone's got enemies," the Doctor said. "Yeah, but mine's the woman outside Budgens with the mental Jack Russell. You've got, like, you know, archenemies." "Suppose so."
"And here's be thinking we'd just be running through time, being daft and fixing stuff. But no, it's dangerous."
"Yep. Very."
"Is that a problem," asked Emma.
"I'm still here, aren't I?" Amy asked. She looked over at the Doctor. "You're worried about the Daleks."
"I'm always worried about the Daleks."
"It'll take time though, won't it? I meant here's still not many of them. They'll need a while to build themselves up."
"It's not that. There's something else. Something we've forgotten. Or rather you have."
"Me?"
Emma nodded, "You didn't know them, Amy. You'd never seen them before. And you should have."

Once inside the Tardis, Amy wandered off, claiming she needed a nap. Emma wrapped her arms around the Doctor's waist, resting her forehead against his back.
"Are you going to be all right, Doctor?" He sighed, his shoulders dropping.
"I thought they were gone, Emma."
"As did I."
"Amy should remember them."
"I know."
"But she doesn't."
"Yep."

Twisting his body around, the Doctor peered down at Emma.
"You think I'm crazy." She gave him a fond smile.
"I think you're a madman," she corrected.
"Same difference." She laughed at that.
"Be as it may, I know you'll figure this out. You always do."
"Always, Emma. Always."
"Good! Can I pick our next location?"
"What were you thinking?"
"I'd like a chance of pace. Delerium Archive."
"The biggest museum ever? Brilliant!"

---

All rights belong to BBC