Chapter Two: The Christmas Invasion Part II
[The Tyler's flat - bedroom]
Rose rushes into the bedroom with the others, "Mickey, we're going to carry him. Mum, get your stuff and get some food. We're going."
The Time Vortex rises, "You will not touch our Chosen's Other half. We protect our Chosen."
Mickey nods warily, "Right. Let's listen to the one with the spacey eyes. Where to?"
"Our daughter, The TARDIS," Teacher orders.
They leap from the bed in a quick move and pick up the Doctor in their arms.
Rose sighs, "She's right; it's the only safe place on Earth."
"What're we going to do in there?" Jackie asks.
"Hide."
"Is that it?" her mother scoffs.
Rose rounds on her, "Mum, look in the sky. There's a great, big alien invasion, and I don't know what to do,alright?"she shakes her head, "I've traveled with them, and I've seen all that stuff... but when I'm stuck at home, I'm useless. Now, all we can do is run and hide, and I'm sorry."
"We are not hiding. We are waiting," the Vortex says ominously before carrying the Time Lord out of the room.
[UNIT HQ]
"They're transmitting. Onscreen," Llewellyn says.
Alex translates the Sycorax leader word for word, "Will the leader of this world stand forward?"
Harriet nods, "I'm proud to represent this planet."
"Come aboard."
She frowns, "Well, how do I do that?"
Harriet, Blake, Alex, and Llewellyn are enveloped in a brilliant glow.
"What's happening?" Llewellyn asks.
Harriet answers dryly, "I would imagine it's called a teleport."
[Sycorax Ship]
The four are transported onto the ship's vast chamber. Countless Sycorax observe from the upper levels. The leader strides forward, taking off his helmet.
"It's a helmet," Llewellyn realizes, "They might be like us."
The face revealed is clearly not human-like.
"...Or not."
[Outside the flat]
Rose and Mickey follow the Time Vortex to the TARDIS; Jackie trails behind, grappling with a handful of bags.
"Mum, will you just leave that stuff?" the companion complains.
"It's food! You said we need food."
"Just leave it!"
"No food is necessary, only tea," the Time Vortex states, and Rose rolls her eyes in annoyance.
[Sycorax Ship]
The Leader of the Sycorax begins to speak in his gravelly language.
"You will surrender, or I will release the final curse, and your people will jump," Alex translates.
Llewellyn steps up, "If I can speak."
Blake goes to stop him, "Mister Llewellyn, you're a civilian."
He shakes his head, "No, I sent out the probe. I started it. I made contact with these people. This whole thing's my responsibility," he nods, "With respect, sir. The human race is taking its first step towards the stars, but we are like children compared to you. Children who need help. Children who need compassion. I beg of you now, show that compassion."
The Sycorax leader raises a whip and cracks it around Llewellyn's neck, disintegrating his flesh and leaving a smoking pile of bones in its wake.
"That man was your prisoner! Even your species must have articles of war forbidding..." Blake shouts but is interrupted by his own death by way of an electrical whip.
"Harriet Jones, Prime Minister," the woman says, stepping forward, hardened.
"Yes, we know who you are. Surrender, or they will die," Alex translates, voice stuttering.
Harriet frowns, "If I do surrender, how would that be better?"
"Half is sold into slavery, or one-third dies. Your choice," the man translates.
[TARDIS - Console Room]
"Five minutes and twelve seconds," the Time Vortex says, placing the Doctor on the ground before lying down next to him and going lax again.
"Well, fat lot of good you were, Alchemist!" the human companion shouts at the unconscious Time Lady.
Mickey eyes the Alchemist, "I don't think that was her."
Rose rolls her eyes, "It was, trust me. She just... does that."
He shakes his head before looking around, "Still doubt it. No chance you could fly this thing?"
"I can't fly it, not anymore, no." Rose denies.
"Well, you did it before."
"I know, but it's sort of been wiped out of my head like it's forbidden," she frowns, "Try that again, and I think the universe rips in half."
"Ah, better not, then."
"Maybe not."
"So, what do we do? Just sit here?" Mickey asks.
"That's as good as it gets."
Jackie walks in, "Right, here we go. A nice cup of tea, like she said."
She has a flask and places it between the pair, open and steaming.
Rose huffs, "Mmm, the solution to everything."
"Now, stop your moaning. I'll get the rest of the food," Jackie says on her way out of the TARDIS, shutting the door behind her.
"Tea," Mickey laughs, " Like we're having a picnic while the world comes to an end. Very British," he approaches the scanner, "How does this thing work? If it picks up TV, maybe we could see what's going on out there. Maybe we've surrendered. What do you do to it?"
Rose shrugs, "I don't know. It sort of tunes itself."
Mickey begins adjusting buttons, trying to get it to turn on.
[Sycorax Ship]
"The noise. The bleeping. They say it's machinery. Foreign machinery. They're accusing us of hiding it. Conspiring. Bring it on board," Alex translates.
[TARDIS - Console Room]
The screen has an unusual pattern, and humans look at it confusedly.
"Maybe it's a distress signal," Mickey suggests.
"A fat lot of good that's going to do."
"Are you going to be a misery all the time?"
Rose scoffs, "Yes."
He rolls his eyes, "You should look at it from my point of view, stuck in here with your mum's cooking."
"Where is she? I'd better give her a hand. It might start raining missiles out there."
"Tell her anything from a tin, that's fine."
"Why don't you tell her yourself?"
Mickey snorts, "I'm not that brave."
Rose swings open the door to find her mother, only to be seized by a Sycorax, causing her to let out a terrified scream.
"Rose!?" Mickey cries, rushing out.
Mickey accidentally tips over the open flask of tea, spilling it close to where the Doctor and the Alchemist are resting. It pours through the grating and envelops them in a cloud of steam.
[Spaceship]
"Get off! Get off me!" Rose shouts, struggling.
Mickey's eyes widen and he rushes to help.
Rose calls out to him, "The door! Close the door!"
He arrives just in time to shut the door on a Sycorax, slamming it closed. The Sycorax erupt in cheers, and Rose is freed, only to be swiftly drawn back in by Harriet.
"Rose. Rose!" Harriet cries, "I've got you. My Lord. Oh, my precious thing. The Doctor, is he with you?"
"No. We're on our own," she says sadly.
[TARDIS Console Room]
Tea steam wafts up through the floor grating, and the Doctor inhales deeply, releasing a burst of golden energy. The Time Lady absorbs it completely, her eyes snapping open instantly. She springs to her feet, a broad smile spreading as she surveys her surroundings.
She runs to the viewing screen and looks outside, rolling her eyes as she does so.
[Sycorax Ship]
"The yellow girl. She has the clever blue box. Therefore, she speaks for your planet."
Harriet denies, "But she can't."
"Yeah, I can."
Mickey grumbles, "Don't you dare."
Rose raises her chin, "Someone's got to be the Doctor."
"They'll kill you," Harriet warns.
"Never stopped him," she replies and steps forward.
The door swings open, and the Alchemist steps forward after shutting it. She positions herself in front of Rose with an outstretched arm to hold her back. The companion exhales in relief, taking a step back to join Mickey.
"Actually the scarlet woman will speak on behalf of the planet, not the yellow girl," the Alchemist smirks, "Ihave the clever blue box," she looks them over, "As Sycorax of the JX82 system, you have clearly betrayed your new ways, not following the regulations of interacting with a level 5 planet under intergalactic law of the Shadow Proclamation," she gestures to them with both hands, "Which means you're the Halvinor Tribe and you must be Sycorax leader or, rather, Fadros Pallujikaa," she tilts her head, popping her hip, "How long has it been for you since you left Sycorax, going against the new blood oath laws of Emperor Kasifik, hm? 150 years roughly? Which makes you... what? 258 now? Don't you suppose it's time for a change of leadership?"
The Sycorax leader chuckles, prompting the rest to join with hearty laughter.
"You are very, very funny. And now you're going to die," Alex translates unnecessarily.
Harriet, alarmed, shouts, "Leave her alone!"
"Don't touch her!" Mickey adds.
"Leave her alone," Harriet repeats.
Harriet, Rose, and Mickey are held back as the leader walks up to the Alchemist, who smirks at him.
"Did you think you were clever?" Fadros Pallujikaa starts to say, "We are the Sycorax; we stride the darkness. Next to us, you are but a wailing child. If you are the best your planet can offer as a champion, then your world will be gutted..."
Alex has been reading out the entire time, unneeded, and the Time Lady rolls her eyes.
"...Then your world will be gutted... hold on, that's English, they've been speaking English since she walked out!" He finally realizes.
"And your people enslaved," the Sycorax leader continues.
Harriet grins, "He's talking English."
"You're talking English. This... whole time," Rose says, looking at the Alchemist in confusion.
"I would never dirty my tongue with your primitive bile," the Sycorax says.
Rose shakes her head, "That's English. Can you hear English?"
Mickey nods, "Yeah, that's English. Ally must be connected."
"Definitely English," Alex confirms.
"I speak only Sycoraxic!"
Rose gapes, "If I can hear English, then it's being translated. Which means it's working. Which means Ally's connected."
All eyes are drawn to the vibrant ginger Time Lady as she joyfully skips back towards the TARDIS. The Doctor swings open the doors, and the Alchemist leans in for a quick kiss, standing confidently beside him.
"Did you miss us?" The Doctor asks with a wild grin.
The Sycorax leader cracks his whip. The Alchemist catches the end and pulls it out of his hand.
"You could have someone's eye out with that. Ever heard of courtesy? We're guests!" the Alchemist snaps.
"How dare...!" The leader starts off.
The Doctor takes a thick, long club off another Sycorax, preparing to strike, and easily snaps it over his knee.
"You just can't get the staff," the Time Lord sighs before gesturing to him, "Now, you, just wait. I'm busy," he turns to the humans, "Mickey, hello! And Harriet Jones MP for Flydale North," he laughs, "Blimey, it's like This Is Your Life," the Doctor grins, "Tea! That's all I needed: a good cup of tea, like the Time Vortex said! Superheated infusion of free radicals and tannin. Just the thing for healing the synapses. Now, first thing's first..." he turns to Rose, serious, "Be honest, how do I look?"
She replies, "Um, different."
"Good different or bad different?" he asks.
"Just different," she shrugs.
The Alchemist scoffs at the scent she just got and turns to him, "Always a handsome different. Very handsome every time, Always."
The Doctor kisses her quickly and asks, hopeful, "Am I ginger?"
"Sorry, love, you're a gorgeous shade of chocolate brown with eyes to match."
He groans and points to her, "I wanted to be ginger. I want to be ginger like you. I want to match. I've never been ginger, and you're always ginger."
"Well, maybe I want to be brown for once or even blonde!" she quips.
He gasps and covers his hearts, "Don't you dare!"
The Doctor turns to Rose, gesturing, "And you, Rose Tyler, 'Fat lot of good you were.'" he quotes her, "You gave up on both of us. We'll be having a very long chat about that later..." he blinks, "Oh, that's rude. That's the sort of man I am now, am I? Rude. Rude and not ginger."
"I'm pretty sure those are two of your base personality traits, love," the Alchemist comments.
He shifts his finger to her and tips her chin up unnecessarily. They're near the same height.
"My base personality trait is not ginger? "he asks.
She grins, "Yep."
Harriet looks them over, confused, "I'm sorry. Who are you?"
"I'm the Doctor," the Time Lord states happily, spinning to look at her.
"I'm the Alchemist," the ginger introduces with a wave.
Rose nods, "He's the Doctor... and she's the Alchemist."
"But what happened to my Doctor?" Harriet asks, "Or is it a title that's just passed on? Who's the Alchemist?"
"I'm him. I'm literally him. Same man, new face. Well, new everything."
The Time Lady answers, "I'm his wife of a very, very long time."
"But you can't be the Doctor..." Harriet denies.
The Doctor steps forward, "Harriet Jones, we were trapped in Downing Street, and the one thing that scared you wasn't the aliens; it wasn't the war... It was the thought of your mother being on her own."
"Oh, my God," Harriet says in realization.
"Did you win the election?" the Doctor asks.
She nods, "Landslide majority."
The Sycorax sarcastically says, "If I might interrupt."
The Doctor nods and turns to him, "Yes, sorry. Hello, big fellow."
"Who exactly are you?"
"Well, that's the question," he hums.
"I demand to know who you are!" The Sycorax leader shouts.
"You sure you want to know that!?" the Time Lady shouts back. "Because we don't know!"
The Doctor nods along, "She's right, we don't know!" he shrugs, "See, there's the thing. I'm the Doctor, and she's the Alchemist, but beyond that, we just don't know. We literally do not know who we are," his brows raise, "It's all untested. Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Is she? Sexy!?" he turns and winks at his wife, "Actually, she certainly is. Right, old misery? Life and soul? Right handed? Left handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor? A liar? A nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob, and she always does."
"And how are we going to react when we see this, a great big threatening button," The Alchemist continues as she walks around the machine, "Aredthreatening button. Don't like red lately. A great big, threatening, terribly red button that must not be pressed under any circumstances, am I right?" she smirks, glancing up, "Blood control matrix, isn't it? Would you like to check, love?"
He grins and skips to her, "Hold on, I'll check for you. Let's see what's feeding it..." the Doctor lifts the bottom of the pillar beneath the button and dips his finger in to sample it, "And what've we got here? Blood, you say?" he hums and tastes it, to the disgust of the humans, "Yeah, definitely blood. Human blood," he nods, "A Positive, with just a dash of iron," he sighs, "Ah, but that means it absolutely is blood control. Blood control! Excellent deduction, Ally," he grins at his wife who winks back, "Oh, we haven't seen blood control for years! You're controlling all the A Positives. Which leaves us with a great big stinking problem. Because I really don't know who I am. I don't know when to stop. So if I see a great big threatening button which should never, ever, ever be pressed, then I just want to do this..."
The Alchemist and the Doctor slam their hands down on the button, one on top of the other, with wild grins on their faces.
Rose and Harriet shout, "No!"
"You killed them!" Alex says, horrified.
The Doctor looks at the Sycorax, "What do you think, big fellow? Are they dead?"
"We allow them to live," the leader states.
The Alchemist laughs at this, grabbing her Bondmate's hand and stepping back with him to point at the leader.
She rolls her eyes, "Allow? You've no choice. I mean, that's all blood control is. A cheap bit of voodoo magic. Astrophia rites magic which you... shouldn't be practicing anymore," she shrugs, "Met her actually, lovely Empress, not goddess; she'd not be impressed," she waves them off, "Anywho, Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes. It's like hypnosis. You can hypnotize someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis, even list off every Japanese car brand in a song," she frowns, considering, "I wonder if I could do that? Anyway, you can't hypnotize them to death. Survival instinct is far too strong."
"Blood control was just one form of conquest. I can summon the Armada and take this world by force," Fadros Pallujikaa says.
The Doctor steps forward, nodding, "Well, yeah, you could, yeah, you could do that, of course, you could. But why? Look at these people," he gestures to them, "These human beings. Consider their potential. 'From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than...'" he blinks, "No, hold on. Sorry, that's The Lion King. We watched that the other night and you kept singing along terribly, Ally," he nods, "But the point still stands, Leave them alone!"
"Rude but true," the Time Lady shrugs, "Maybe my voice is back. Besides, you can't summon the Armada, considering the Armada is under the leadership of Great Emperor Kasifik. And as the Fadros Pallujikaa of the Halvinor tribe, you have broken your blood rite to the Armada, and this is the only ship left," she gestures around her, "I noticed when we got here. 150 years, yeah? This ship is 122 years past the current technological standards of a Sycorax Armada fleet ship. Which means one itty bitty thing," she covers one eye, posing, "You're pirates, argh! And we've got to do something about that!"
The leader glares, "Like what?"
"Like..." the Doctor begins, looking around for a moment.
'A challenge under the sanctified rules of combat. It's banned on Sycorax now, but they follow it. I'd do it, but I'm not allowed under my status as Kerriff,' she tells him silently.
The Doctor nods at her, takes a sword from another Sycorax, and runs back towards the TARDIS.
"I challenge you," he says, pointing the sword.
General laughter ensues, headed by the leader.
"Oh, that struck a chord. Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply to you?" the Doctor asks.
The Sycorax leader steps forward, "You stand as this world's champion."
"Thank you. I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up."
The Doctor throws his dressing gown to his wife, who folds it over her arm after grabbing it midair.
"So, you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?"
The Alchemist holds in a laugh at the insult, which clearly makes up the leader's mind.
'Rude indeed!' she says to him.
He glances at her, 'Base personality trait. Any advice?'
The Time Lady thinks momentarily before her eyebrows raise at Teacher's words.
'Apparently, you'll need an extra hand for something? Either way, I'd like to know if you can still do this. Remember, pressure to the face and circle around yours for protection and attack. Also, watch your bearing.'
He shrugs and smirks at her, and he and the Sycorax Leader take a knee.
"For the planet?" the Sycorax leader asks.
"For the planet," the Time Lord confirms.
They leap up and clash swords, moving about the ship.
"Look out!" Rose shouts.
"Oh, yeah, that helps," the Doctor snaps, "Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise, thanks. Pipe down, would you?"
The leader is clearly the more experienced swordsman, yet the Time Lord is following his Bondmate's advice and holding his own. The Doctor makes his way up a tunnel.
"Bit of fresh air?" he quips.
[Spaceship hull]
The Doctor finds himself pushed to the brink, taking a hit to the nose, while Rose tries to rush to his aid.
The Alchemist grabs her and growls, "Stay back! Invalidate the challenge, and he wins the planet."
The leader strikes the Doctor, sending him to the ground, and then swings his sword. Both the weapon and his hand descend towards the Earth as they watch them plummet.
"...You cut my hand off," the Time Lord squeaks.
'An extra hand!?' the Alchemist hears a grumbled laugh in her mind.
The leader shouts, "Ya! Sycorax!"
"And now I know what sort of man I am," the Doctor smirks, standing, "I'm lucky. Because quite by chance, I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my Regeneration cycle, which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy to do this..."
His new hand grows with the help of excess Regeneration energy.
The Sycorax steps back, "Witchcraft."
"Time Lord."
"Doctor!" the companion calls out, noticing the Time Lady's moves.
The Alchemist grins mischievously as she tosses another sword his way.
He laughs, catching it, "Oh, so I'm still the Doctor, then? Is she the Alchemist?"
Rose grins, "No arguments from me!"
"Hm, we'll see... Want to know the best bit? This new hand? It's a fighting hand!"
They clash once more. The Doctor swiftly disarms the Sycorax, delivering two solid strikes with the hilts to his chest. The Sycorax stumbles backward, losing his balance and crashing down onto the ship's edge that overlooks London.
The Doctor announces, "I win."
"Then kill me," the Sycorax orders.
"I'll spare your life if you'll take this Champion's command," the Doctor says firmly, "Leave this planet and never return. What do you say?"
He hesitates, "...Yes."
"Swear on the blood of your species."
"I swear."
"There we are, then," the Time Lord grins, "Thanks for that," he strikes the swords' tips hard into the ground, "Cheers, big fellow."
[Sycorax Ship]
Harriet claps, "Bravo!"
Rose nods and shouts, "That says it all. Bravo!"
The Doctor shrugs, "Ah, not bad for a man in his jim-jams."
The Alchemist helps him with the dressing gown.
"Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man, right Alchemist?" he puts his hands in his pockets with a frown, "Hold on, what have I got in here?" he pulls it out, "A satsuma. Ah, that friend of your mother's, Rose. He does like his snacks doesn't he?" he shrugs, "But doesn't that just sum up Christmas? You go through all those presents, and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma. Who wants a satsuma?"
'Payment,' the Time Lady silently whispers to the Doctor, who nods, ready.
The Sycorax leader rises, sword in hand, ready to strike the Time Lord from behind. In a swift motion, the Doctor hurls a satsuma at a control panel on the spaceship, not even glancing back. A section of the ship opens, and the leader plummets, his screams echoing as he meets his fate.
"No second chances. I'm that sort of a man," he growls and meets his Bondmate's eyes.
She nods, and in a blink she now holds two large wooden boxes and places them on the ground.
The Doctor stands tall, calling out, "By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time. And when you go back to the stars and tell others of this planet... When you tell them of its riches, its people... It's potential... When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this... It is defended."
"Wait, we're not done," the Alchemist informs them all, her voice strong with her new Scottish accent.
Her abilities have massively grown, and she could travel to get her Oathmaker from her office display in the TARDIS within a split second. She was also able to get something for the remains of the murdered humans.
"I would speak to the next Fadros Pallujikaa and Haxan Craw by order of Emperor Kasifik's ritebound Kerriff Blod Har of 32 years," she orders.
The Sycorax murmur, and one steps forward, still masked.
"And Haxan Craw?" she requests, voice cold.
He nods and taps something on his wrist, and she teleports beside him.
"Do you stand by your previous Fadros Pallujikaa's beliefs that Great Emperor Kasifik was in the wrong to unify the Armada and advance your system's technology yourselves? Fully abandoning the worship of Astrophia instead of true growth as an ally of the Shadow Proclamation. What is your answer as Mother and Son?"
They share a look, and Haxon Craw replies, "I never stood with him and was taken by force in the ways of old marriage bone bonds. My child believes the same as does every Syxcorax wife, child, husband, and unmarried Sycorax on this ship."
The Alchemist nods, "Prove it. Break your bonds."
Grinning viciously, she rips the leather cord from her neck and snaps the rib of her husband, dropping it to the ground. All around them, the Sycorax follow in her wake, not including her son, who does not wear one.
"I refused," he informs her, "I claimed to have done it and stored it in my bone bond box but I refused to do it at all, my wife and children the same."
'What are you doing?' she hears.
The Alchemist smirks, 'Freeing them.'
The humans all cower slightly behind the Doctor when he tells them they must wait and be silent.
"Call them up. They must all follow the new order of Great Emperor Kasifik for this to be done," the Alchemist demands.
The ship is suddenly filled with Sycorax families, who all step forward, rip off their leather ties, and snap the ribs, dropping them in a pile before her.
"That's all of us," Haxon Craw confirms after marking them off on a hide-covered tablet.
"Haxon Craw and next Fadros Pallujikaa of the Tribe of Halvinor, under the name of Kerriff Blod Har of over 30 years, I am within Blood Rite Sanction to offer you freedom. Present your Oathmakers," she orders.
They do so; both are brown carved stones and resemble agate spearheads.
"Make the Mark to begin the Blood Oath," she orders and holds up her white and patterned beaded oath sheath in one hand, preparing to reveal her own.
They nod, and each cut a line down the lifeline of their palm and hold it out, allowing blood to spill over the broken ribs and leather strands.
The Alchemist nods and pulls out her blood-red Oathmaker, ignoring the gasps of the Sycorax.
"As Kerriff Blod Har of 32 years, personally bonded to and gifted my Oathmaker Rod Ilska by Great Emperor Kasifik, I free you from your banishment from Planet Sycorax and the JX82 system, I allow you full freedom to return with the whole of the Halvinor Tribe to the Armada of the Sycorax."
The Alchemist quickly slices their palms, marking an 'X', and places her own on top of theirs after re-sheathing and pocketing her Oathmaker. She removes them, and the three clap low above the ribs and shake the blood off their palms onto the pile.
The duo says, "By Blood Rite of Tribe to Keriff, we accept the will of the Sycorax."
The Alchemist swipes a red swirled circle over each of their bone masks with her thumbs, and they stand.
"So it is Rite," she says with a nod.
They take a knee, and the other Sycorax follow in their wake. Once they have all done so, she fists her hands before her face before spreading them and showing them her bloodied hands and nodding.
"You are free to return. First, I must collect the lost souls," the Alchemist says, and she steps back, glancing towards a proudly smiling Doctor.
The Time Lady reverently fills the boxes with the burned remains as gently as possible before picking them up and nodding to the Sycorax.
The TARDIS, Harriet, Alex, Rose, Mickey, the Alchemist, and the Doctor are beamed away.
Once they're gone, the Tribe of Halvinor stands and shouts gleefully before preparing for takeoff, ready to finally return home.
[Corner of Bloxom Road]
"Where are we?" Rose asks, looking around.
"We're just off Bloxom Road," Mickey grins, "We're just round the corner. We did it!"
"Wait a minute, wait a minute," the Doctor says, holding up a hand and watching the skies.
The spaceship begins to depart.
Mickey whoops and jumps, "Go on, my son! Oh, yeah!"
"Yeah! Don't come back!" Rose shouts.
"It is defended, and you are free!" Mickey continues.
"Yes, they're free!" the Doctor shouts as well.
Rose and Mickey hug, and then Rose hugs Alex while Harriet Jones approaches the Doctor.
"My Doctor," she says with a nod.
The Time Lord nods back with a grin, "Prime Minister."
She pulls him into an embrace.
The Alchemist watches from the side, feeling unnerved. She places the boxes down next to the TARDIS.
Harriet pulls back, "Absolutely the same man. Are there many more out there?"
"Oh, not just Sycorax. Hundreds of species," the Doctor explains, "Thousands of them. And the human race is drawing attention to itself. Every day, you're sending out probes and messages and signals. This planet's so noisy. You're getting noticed more and more. You'd better get used to it."
"Rose!" Jackie shouts, coming around the corner.
"Mum!"
The Doctor faux groans, "Oh, talking of trouble."
"Oh, my God! You did it, Rose! Oh!" Jackie says.
Alex's phone rings, and he answers.
The Time Lady tilts her head, listening in.
"You did it too! It was the tea. Fixed his head," Rose admits.
The Doctor grins, "That was all I needed, cup of tea. Ally just had to rest."
Jackie grins, "That Time Vortex said so!"
"Look at him," Rose says, happily looking over the standing Doctor.
"Is it him, though? Is it really the Doctor?" She spots Harriet then, "Oh, my God, it's the bleeding Prime Minister!"
The Doctor laughs and says, "Come here you."
The trio group hug before pulling back.
"Are you better?" Jackie asks him.
"I am, yeah."
"And you, Ally?" Jackie asks worriedly but smiles when she nods.
She's still listening in on Alex's conversation over the phone and not liking what she's hearing.
"They say they're ready," Alex alerts the Prime Minister.
"You left me," Jackie complains.
The Alchemist slowly steps toward the government workers.
"I'm sorry," Rose winces.
"I had all the food."
Furious, the Alchemist whips her head to Harriet, "Whatever you're doing, stop now!"
She's ignored.
Harriet whispers to Alex, "Tell them to fire."
"Stop!" she shouts.
"Fire at will."
The Time Lady clenches her drying fists at her sides, and the Doctor spares her a glance, having felt her rage.
Five green beams are sent into the sky, meet, and lead into space. The Sycorax vessel erupts in a colossal explosion.
The Time Lady is a mere foot before Harriet, glaring into her eyes. She can smell her fear spiking.
Rose looks up at the sky, confused, "What is that? What's happening?"
"That was murder," the Doctor growls, coming closer to his wife's side.
"They were enslaved, forced to come here by their previous Tribe leader," the Alchemist growls, "A Keriff is a Queen. I was named a Queen of the Sycorax, which is unheard of for any other species before me. I released them to go back to their homeworld," she narrows her eyes, "Their Emperor is an exceptional representation of a good leader. You, clearly, are not."
Harriet shakes her head, "That was defense. It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago."
"But they were leaving; they weren't even here by choice," the Doctor tells her, furious.
"You said yourself, Doctor, they'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth. I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time, and I didn't even know about your wife. You come and go. It happened today. Mister Llewellyn and the Major... They were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were both sleeping. In which case, we have to defend ourselves."
"You mean the men whose bodies you were going to leave behind?" the Alchemist scoffs, "Those Sycorax did not believe they had a choice to do what they did. To go against your Tribe leader means the death of your entire family line," she glares, "Meaning hundreds. Syxorax is at peace within the Universe; they aren't at war. Who has the weapon, Jones? Because it certainly isn't UNIT. I know about everything they have."
Harriet Jones remains silent but concerned.
The Doctor scoffs, "Britain's Golden Age."
"It comes with a price," she defends.
The Alchemist takes another step forward, nearly nose to nose with the woman, "So does murder."
"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run as fast as they can... Run and hide because the monsters are coming. The human race," The Time Lord scowls.
Harriet leans back, "Those are the people I represent. I did it on their behalf."
"Then I should have stopped you. We both should have."
The Alchemist looks the woman over, "I don't particularly enjoy being ignored, Jones. Whatever you're hiding, I am certain the Royal Family doesn't know about it, which means you're acting as free agents against the Crown. She will not be pleased about what just occurred."
Harriet glares, "What does that make you, Alchemist, Doctor? Another alien threat?"
The Doctor's eyes snap to hers, "Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones, because I'm a completely new man, and my wife is furious, which means we have a problem. We could bring down your Government with a single word."
Harriet scoffs, "You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you and your wife are quite capable of that."
"There is a reason that I'm called the Royal Protector, Jones. It isn't just some little fairytale," the Time Lady whispers in her ear, eyes still storming.
Harriet's eyes widen in horror. She didn't put it together... she didn't even believe it. She watches as the Time Lady backs away and turns toward the TARDIS.
"Good luck, Harriet Jones," she calls over her shoulder.
The Doctor nods, "No, you're right. Not a single word, just six."
"I don't think so," Harriet denies.
"Six words," he repeats.
"Stop it!"
"Six."
The Doctor paces to Alex, pulls out his earpiece, and whispers, "Don't you think she looks tired?"
The Doctor, the Alchemist, Rose, Mickey, and Jackie leave.
Harriet rounds on the man, "What did he say?"
Alex can't meet her eyes, "Oh, well, nothing, really."
"What did he say?"
"Nothing," he shrugs, "I don't know."
Harriet shouts, "Doctor! Doctor, what did you...? What was that?" she turns back to Alex, "What did he say?" she spins again, "What did you say, Doctor!? Doctor! Alchemist! ...I'm sorry."