Chapter Twenty: Army of Ghosts
[TARDIS Console Room]
'Last stop,' the Alchemist calls out to her Bondmate, her mental voice calm but firm.
The Doctor exhales, nodding as he casts a brief glance at the girl beside them.
'We should never have let this go on for so long, Amara,' his thoughts brush against hers, heavy with unspoken regret.
She shrugs, her expression unreadable, 'Second chances.'
'I don't believe in those,' he reminds her, the edges of his mind sharp with certainty.
Her gaze shifts to Rose, who is watching the Doctor—watching him the way she always does. The Alchemist's lips press together, something bitter curling in her chest.
'I'm afraid I'm starting to agree, Theta Sigma.'
[Powell Estate]
The TARDIS materializes in a quiet corner of the children's playground, sunlight streaming through the trees. Laughter rings out in the distance, a stark contrast to the tension hanging between the Time Lords.
Rose lugs both heavy rucksacks, though the Alchemist carries one to lighten the load. She grins at them, oblivious to their silent exchange.
'Can we just leave?' the Doctor asks, exasperation threading through their telepathic link.
The Alchemist shakes her head, 'No, not this time. She needs help, and Jackie deserves to know.'
He clicks his tongue in frustration, 'Fine. But the second that's sorted, we're out of here—Zeen 4, historical reenactments, non-negotiable.'
[The Tyler's Flat]
"Mum, it's us!" Rose calls out, racing up the staircase, "We're back!"
Jackie rushes into the hallway, arms flailing, "Oh, I don't know why you bother with that phone. You never use it!"
Rose laughs, "Shut up! Come here!"
She pulls her mother into a crushing hug, and Jackie squeezes her tight, "Oh, I love you!"
"I love you!"
"I love you so much!"
The Doctor sighs, attempting to sidestep the reunion, following the Alchemist, who casually drops the large red rucksack onto the floor.
But Jackie is quicker as she releases Rose and rounds on the Doctor, "Oh no, you don't. Come here!"
Before he can escape, she yanks him into an embrace and plants a big kiss right on his lips. Both Time Lords recoil in horror.
"Oi, Jackie…!" He tries to pull away, but she's not having it.
She goes in for another, but he twists at the last second, and she lands one on his cheek instead, "Oh, you lovely big fella! You're all mine."
"Just—just put me down!" he protests, squirming in her grip.
"Yes, you are!" she insists, pressing another smacking kiss on him.
The Alchemist's voice cuts through the moment like ice, "He's mine, actually. Can you please stop kissing him, Jackie? It's making both of us uncomfortable."
Jackie pulls back instantly, startled by the coldness in her tone, "Oh… of course, Ally. I didn't realize that would…"
"It's alright," the Alchemist says, her voice softening slightly, "It's just… Bondmates don't appreciate it when someone else gets that familiar with their partner."
She hands the Doctor a DNA-disintegrating wipe without looking at him.
He snatches it and scrubs furiously at his face, muttering under his breath. The Alchemist takes the used wipe back, pocketing it for disposal. They exchange a silent, exasperated glance before stepping into the living room, Rose trailing behind them.
"I've got loads of washing for you," Rose announces, unceremoniously dumping the massive rucksack into her mother's arms, "And I got you this."
She holds up an ornate golden vessel, intricately carved.
"It's from the market on this asteroid bazaar. It's made of…" she glances toward the Time Lords, who are both skimming through a magazine, "Uh, what's it called?"
"Bazoolium," they answer in perfect sync, flipping a page.
Rose turns back to Jackie, grinning, "Bazoolium. When it gets cold, yeah, it means it's going to rain. When it's hot, it's gonna be sunny. You can use it to tell the weather."
Jackie nods appreciatively, "I've got a surprise for you and all."
Rose huffs, "Oh, I get her bazoolium, and she doesn't even say thanks."
The Doctor and the Alchemist roll their eyes at each other.
Jackie presses on, excitement bubbling, "Guess who's coming to visit? You're just in time! He'll be here at ten past. Who do you think it is?"
Rose shrugs, "I don't know."
"Oh, go on, guess."
"No, I hate guessing. Just tell me."
Jackie's smile widens, "It's your granddad. Granddad Prentice. He's on his way any minute," she claps her hands together, "Right, cup of tea!"
And with that, she bustles off to the kitchen.
Rose stares after her, dumbfounded.,"She's gone mad."
The Doctor mutters, "Tell me something new," he clears his throat, "Now, Rose, we have to…"
She interrupts him, "Granddad Prentice," she murmurs, "That's her dad. But he died, like, ten years ago," her eyes wide, "Oh my God. She's lost it."
Without another word, she bolts after her mother into the kitchen, "Mum? What you just said about Granddad…"
[Kitchen]
"Any second now," Jackie says, glancing at the clock.
The Time Lords step into the kitchen, their minds already set—this is Rose's stop, and they have no intention of coming back.
Rose shakes her head, disbelief tightening her expression, "But he passed away. His heart gave out. Do you remember that?"
The Doctor seizes the moment, "Rose, we need to…"
Jackie cuts him off without missing a beat, "Of course I do."
The Alchemist frowns, her sharp gaze locking onto Jackie.
"Then how can he come back?" Rose demands, frustration creeping into her voice.
Jackie checks her watch, unfazed, "Why don't you ask him yourself? Ten past. Here he comes."
As if stepping through reality itself, a phantom—humanoid in shape, but undeniably unnatural—glides through the wall from outside, coming to a stop beside Jackie.
Jackie beams, "Here we are, then. Dad, say hello to Rose. Ain't she grown?"
The Doctor, the Alchemist, and Rose freeze. For a single heartbeat, they stare, wide-eyed.
Then, without hesitation, all three spin on their heels and bolt—racing out of the apartment, tearing across the Powell Estate.
[Powell Estate]
"They're everywhere!" the Doctor shouts.
All around them, the 'ghosts' drift silently, scattered across the estate. And yet, no one seems alarmed. A group of children play a game of ball right beside one, laughing and running as if the spectral figure isn't even there.
"Why isn't anyone..." the Alchemist mutters, scanning the scene with a growing frown; her eyes widen, "Doctor, look out!"
The Doctor barely has time to react before one of the ghostly figures passes straight through him. He shudders violently, the sensation unnatural and chilling. The Alchemist flinches as well, feeling the residual effect of their Bonded connection.
Jackie steps out onto the pavement behind them, completely unfazed, "They haven't got long. Midday shift only lasts a couple of minutes. They're about to fade."
The Doctor whirls around, "What do you mean, shift? Since when did ghosts have shifts? Since when did shifts have ghosts? What's going on?"
Jackie folds her arms smugly, "Oh, he's not happy when I know more than him, is he?"
"Jackie, this isn't right," the Alchemist steps forward, her tone firmer, "Why is no one running or screaming or freaking out?"
"Why should we?" Jackie shrugs, glancing at her watch, "Here we go. Twelve minutes past."
Right on cue, the specters flicker—then vanish.
[The Tyler's Flat]
The television blares a new episode of Ghostwatch, the flickering images casting an eerie glow across the room. The Doctor sits cross-legged on the floor, his Bondmate beside him, both watching intently. Jackie lounges comfortably on the sofa, while Rose perches on its armrest, eyes fixed on the screen.
"On today's Ghostwatch, claims that some of the ghosts are starting to talk, and there seems to be a regular formation gathering around Westminster Bridge..." the footage shifts to show an eerie lineup of 'ghosts' standing in ordered rows, "It's almost like a military display."
"That is a military display," the Alchemist murmurs, her voice tight.
The Doctor glances at her sharply, concern flashing across his face.
He huffs and flips the channel, "What the hell's going on?"
"And tonight, we're expecting very strong ghosts from London, through the North, and up into Scotland..." a weatherman gestures at a map, little ghost icons floating over various regions.
"Into Scotland? Is it everywhere?" the Alchemist asks, shifting uncomfortably.
Another channel change; Trisha Goddard's talk show appears, the screen banner reading, "I Married a Dead Man."
"So basically, Eileen, what you're telling me is that you are in love with a ghost," Trisha says, sounding equal parts fascinated and skeptical.
Eileen grins, nodding eagerly as a ghostly figure stands beside her, "He's my ghost, and I love him twenty-four-seven."
The Time Lords roll their eyes. The Doctor flicks to the next channel, landing on Derek Acorah, Ghost Hunter.
"Well, no one needs me anymore!" Acorah exclaims dramatically.
Another switch—a housewife appears in an infomercial, apron and all, standing beside an animated ghost.
"My ghost was pale and grey until I discovered Ectoshine!"
The Alchemist lets out an exasperated sigh and finally sonics the television, flipping through channels rapidly.
A French news broadcast flashes on the screen, "Et le Président d'aujourd'hui, quelle est..." before cutting to a reporter in front of the Taj Mahal, surrounded by ghosts.
A Japanese news report follows, showing three giggling girls wearing ghost shirts.
"It is, Ally. It's all over the world," the Doctor mutters, gripping her hand tightly.
Her own worry pulses through their connection, feeding into his growing unease.
She shakes her head and flips back to an English channel— EastEnders.
Peggy Mitchell, hands on her hips, scolds a ghost, "Listen to me, Den Watts. I don't care if you have come back from the grave—get out of my pub! The only spirits I'm serving in this place are gin, whisky, and vodka! So, you heard me. Get out!"
The Doctor instantly shuts off the television, turning to Jackie, "When did it start?"
Jackie nods, clearly ready with an answer, "Well, first of all, Peggy heard this noise in the cellar, so she goes down…"
"No, we mean worldwide, Jackie," the Alchemist interjects gently, her gaze fixed on the now-blank screen.
"Oh," Jackie grins sheepishly, "That was about two months ago. Just happened. Woke up one morning, and there they all were. Ghosts, everywhere. We all ran 'round screaming and that. Whole planet was panicking. No sign of you, thank you very much."
"Why didn't you call us? You have my number for emergencies, Jackie," the Alchemist reminds her.
Jackie shrugs, "I tried Rose, and then it sank in pretty quickly…"
"What did?"
"Well, it took us no time to realize that we're lucky."
Rose frowns, "What makes you think it's Granddad?"
Jackie's smile softens, "It just feels like him. There's that smell—those old cigarettes. Can't you smell it?"
"I wish I could, Mum, but I can't," Rose shakes her head.
"You've got to make an effort. You've got to want it, sweetheart."
The Alchemist's frown deepens, "The more you want it, the stronger it gets."
"Sort of, yeah."
"Like a psychic link," the Doctor says, rubbing his eyes, "Of course you want your old dad to be alive. But you're wishing him into existence. The ghosts are using that to pull themselves in."
Jackie glares, "You're spoiling it."
"But if they're not ghosts, what are they then?" Rose asks, glancing between them.
The Alchemist exhales, her voice quieter this time, "I'm sorry, Jackie, but there's no smell. I would know, remember? There are no cigarettes. Just a memory you're latching onto… And I had my hand preceptors on. Those things aren't from this world. "
Rose and the Doctor exchange uneasy looks, while Jackie frowns, arms crossed.
"Yeah, but they're human! You can see them," Jackie insists.
The Alchemist turns away, irritation flickering in her eyes, "They're not. Whatever they are, they're not from this world."
"They look human," Jackie argues.
"She's got a point," Rose chimes in, "I mean, they're all sort of blurred, but they're definitely people."
The Alchemist shakes her head, "Maybe not. There are tons of humanoid aliens out there, remember?"
The Doctor stands, pulling the Alchemist up with him, "They're pressing themselves into the surface of the world. But a footprint doesn't look like a boot."
[TARDIS]
The Alchemist strolls into the TARDIS, eyes on the newspaper in her hands. "According to this, they've just elected a ghost as MP for Leeds."
From beneath the grating, the Doctor suddenly springs up, practically vibrating with excitement. He's bouncing on the balls of his feet, a backpack strapped on, and wielding a contraption with a hosepipe in one hand.
The Alchemist takes one look at him and bursts into laughter.
"Who you gonna call!?" the Doctor declares, spinning in place and striking a dramatic pose.
Grinning, the Alchemist quickly rolls up the newspaper into a makeshift megaphone and shouts, "Ghostbusters! "
The Doctor pumps his fist and launches into an exaggerated air guitar solo, "I ain't afraid of no ghosts!"
Matching his energy, the Alchemist jumps in, belting out, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! "
The Doctor cackles, and with that, the two Time Lords stride out of the TARDIS.
[Playground]
"When's the next shift?" the Doctor asks as he carefully places one of the metal cones onto the grass.
"Quarter to," Jackie replies, arms crossed, "But don't go causing trouble… What's that lot do?"
The Alchemist strides over, carrying the other two cones. Working in tandem, she and the Doctor ensure they're positioned at precise 45-degree angles.
"Triangulates their point of origin," she explains, adjusting one of the cones before pulling the wiring taut.
Rose watches with a frown, "I don't suppose it's the Gelth?"
"Nah," the Doctor shakes his head, "They were just coming through one little rift. This lot are transposing themselves over the whole planet—like tracing paper."
Jackie huffs, "You're always doing this. Reducing it to science. Why can't it be real? Just think about it—all the people we've lost, our families coming back home. Don't you think it's beautiful?"
Standing straight, the Doctor meets her gaze, his expression grave, "I think it's horrific."
Jackie's face falls, her initial shock shifting into something more unsettled.
'I hate to say it, but we might need help,' the Doctor tells his Bondmate telepathically.
The Alchemist winces but nods.
"Rose, give us a hand," she says aloud, her tone a little tighter than before.
She guides Rose into the TARDIS, carrying the power cable as the weight of the situation settles over them all.
[TARDIS]
The Alchemist plugs the power cable into the TARDIS console, exhaling sharply as she ensures the connection is secure. Jackie follows them inside, shutting the door behind her over the cable before settling onto the gantry, watching with mild suspicion.
The Time Lady gestures toward the console, "As soon as the cones activate… if that line goes into the red, press that button there. If it doesn't stop…"
She hands Rose the Doctor's sonic screwdriver—her own requires telepathic control.
"Setting fifteen B," she continues, "Hold it against the port for eight seconds, then stop. Got it?"
Rose nods, repeating, "Fifteen B, eight seconds."
"Great. If it goes into the blue, activate the deep scan—left of the button. That…"
She's interrupted by Rose grinning, "Hang on a minute, I know! Push that one."
The Alchemist purses her lips, "Close."
Rose frowns, "That one?"
The Time Lady sighs, "Now you've just killed us."
"Erm… that one?" Rose points again, hesitating.
"Good job," the Alchemist says blandly, "Now, we've got two minutes and five seconds to go. I need to assist my husband."
Rose nods and presses the sonic against the console, concentrating.
With one last glance at the console, the Alchemist strides toward the door, kicking the cabling aside to prevent it from catching again. She leaves the door open just a crack before stepping out, ready to find out where these creatures are coming from.
[Playground]
The Doctor circles around the cones, placing large devices over each one. He looks up to the Alchemist, who nods to him, ready.
"What's the line doing?" the Time Lord calls out.
[TARDIS]
"It's alright. It's holding!" Rose calls out.
Jackie frowns, looking her daughter over, "You even look like them."
"How do you mean?" Rose asks, glancing down at herself before smiling, "I suppose I do, yeah."
Jackie sighs, a deep, almost weary sound, "You've changed so much."
"For the better," Rose replies quickly, a small, confident smile tugging at her lips.
"I suppose," Jackie mutters, her tone flat.
Rose rolls her eyes, not in the mood for the heavy conversation, "Mum, I used to work in a shop."
"I've worked in shops. What's wrong with that?" Jackie defends, crossing her arms with a huff.
Her daughter backpedals, "No, I didn't mean that."
"I know what you meant," Jackie scoffs, the edge of bitterness creeping into her voice, "What happens when I'm gone?"
Rose's face tightens, "Don't talk like that."
Jackie frowns, her expression serious, "No, but really. When I'm dead and buried, you won't have any reason to come back home. What happens then?"
"I don't know," Rose mutters with a shrug, the weight of her words hanging in the air.
"Do you think you'll ever settle down?" Jackie presses.
Rose's gaze flickers away, a thoughtless answer slipping out, "The Doctor never will, so I can't. I'll just keep on traveling."
Jackie's glare sharpens, her frustration boiling over, "Rose Marion Tyler, are you still on about this?"
Rose doesn't answer. Instead, she focuses intently on the scanner, her silence speaking volumes.
Jackie's voice hardens, her words cutting through the tension, "He's married, Rose. He has a wife who he loves, and who loves him. A woman who practically returned from the dead just to be with him. I'd do anything for that. But if you keep traveling with them, you'll keep on changing. And in forty years, fifty—there'll be this woman. This strange woman walking through a marketplace on some planet a billion miles from Earth. And the moment they realize you're after him, they'll send you back like that," She snaps her fingers sharply, "But she's not Rose Tyler. Not anymore. She's not even human. And she's been after another woman's man most of her life. So, she won't know how to settle down."
The Doctor's voice cuts through the heavy silence, "Here we go!"
Rose clears her throat, trying to push past the hurt, "The scanner's working. It says 'delta one six.'"
[Playground]
The Doctor smirks, waiting eagerly, "Come on then, you beauty!"
The ghost appears, caught within the triangulated section of Earth.
The Doctor slides on his 3D specs, grinning, "Now that's beautiful," before handing them to his Bondmate, who does the same.
"I wouldn't exactly call this beautiful, Doctor," the Time Lady responds, and he nods, adjusting the tech.
'She said something about you never settling down, so she won't, and Jackie went at her for it,' the Alchemist relays, her mental tone quiet, and the Doctor frowns.
'I just wanted to drop her off and be done with it,' he replies, frustration clear in the bond.
"I know, me too," the Time Lady whispers softly.
The ghost starts jerking and writhing within the field.
"Don't like that much, do you?" the Alchemist observes, watching the figure closely, "Who are you?"
"Where are you coming from?" the Time Lord asks, stepping closer until the shadowed figure swipes at him.
"Whoa!" he leaps back, startled.
"Careful, love," the Alchemist admonishes, her eyes narrowing.
He glances at her, excitement in his voice, "Yeah, but... that's more like it! Not so friendly now, is it?"
"It's not very chatty either," the Alchemist mumbles, her gaze tracking the ghost's movements.
Suddenly, the ghost disappears, and the Doctor snatches up the cones and grabs his 3D specs back from her. The Alchemist loops the cable quickly, and they both sprint into the TARDIS, the device in hand.
[TARDIS]
The Doctor drops the device to the side, flinging his overcoat over the Y-beam before heading straight to the console, eager to bring them into the Vortex. The Alchemist, meanwhile, drops the heavy coils of cable by the doors.
"I told you! The ghosts have been forced into existence from one specific point, and we can track down the source. Allons-y!" he exclaims, revving up the ship.
"Doc..." The Alchemist starts, catching his attention, but it's already too late.
The Doctor's off on a tangent, his voice rising as he talks over her, and the Time Lady rolls her eyes, throwing Jackie a regretful look.
"I like that," the Doctor muses, grinning, "Allons-y. I should say 'allons-y' more often. Allons-y. Watch out, Ally. Allons-y. Oh, that's good, 'Allons-y, Ally!' It's French, and you love French. It'd be even better if I met someone named Alonso. Then I could say, 'Allons-y, Alonso!' every time!" he pauses, finally noticing the grimaces on the two women, "You're both staring at me."
"My Mum's still on board," Rose winces.
Jackie deadpans, "If we end up on Mars, I'm going to kill you."
The Doctor frowns, looking at his wife.
She grins wickedly, "I tried to warn you, but you wanted to say 'let's go' seven times over."
He pouts until she enters the collected data into the console, and the pair begin to pilot the ship to the point of origin.
As the TARDIS materializes, they look at the scanner, only to find the ship immediately surrounded by soldiers, automatic weapons raised and ready. The Time Lady's mind races, calculating multiple ways to disarm the group.
"Do you want me to...?" she starts, turning toward him, her voice low.
He rapidly shakes his head. They fall into a silent conversation, unaware of Jackie's confused gaze.
'We can get around this just fine. You don't have to attack them,' he says.
She shrugs, her mind still calculating, 'I was only considering disarming them. No one would get hurt.'
He takes her hand gently, his other hand caressing her cheek, 'No, I don't... I don't want you to feel like you need to do that anymore. Because you don't. You're safe with me, remember?'
'I'm still... trained to feel that way. It's not a habit I can break, but...' she trails off, her voice soft.
He sighs deeply, 'But you don't have to act on it.'
She nods, and he presses a soft kiss to her cheek.
Rose glares at them, and Jackie catches the look, frustration flickering across her face.
"Oh well," the Doctor sighs, breaking the moment, "There goes the advantage of surprise," he says, pulling his wife toward the door, "Still, cuts to the chase. Rose, stay in here, look after Jackie."
"I'm not looking after my Mum," Rose complains, running over to join them.
"Well, you brought her," the Doctor replies, a bit annoyed.
"And you're not going out there, Rose," the Time Lady orders firmly.
"I was kidnapped!" Jackie shouts in protest.
Rose glances at the screen, noticing the guns aimed at them, "Doctor, they've got guns."
The Doctor rolls his eyes, though she can't see it, "And we haven't. Which makes us the better people, don't you think? They can shoot us both dead, but the moral high ground is ours."
"They're not shooting us dead, but yes, whatever," the Alchemist grumbles, straightening her posture instinctively as if preparing for an attack.
[Loading bay]
After dropping her hand, the Doctor steps outside and raises his arms theatrically; the Alchemist stays by his side, but doesn't mirror his gesture. A woman strides toward them in high black heels, her heels clicking sharply against the ground.
"Oh!" she exclaims, her voice brimming with enthusiasm, "Oh, how marvelous. Oh, very good. Superb. Happy day!"
She starts clapping, and the soldiers, to the Time Lords' surprise, drop their weapons and join in. The Doctor lowers his arms, smiling awkwardly, while the Alchemist shifts into a guarded stance, eyes scanning for any potential threat.
"Eh, thanks," the Doctor mutters, his smile turning into a polite grin, "Nice to meet you. I'm the Doctor."
The Time Lady glares at the woman, her voice cold, "The Alchemist... hello."
The woman claps once more before raising her hands in exaggerated excitement, "Oh, I should say. Hurray!"
The Doctor frowns, brow furrowing, "You've heard of us, then?"
"Well, of course we have," the woman grins, "And I have to say, if it wasn't for you, Doctor, none of us would be here. The Doctor and the Alchemist in the TARDIS!"
She claps again, and the troops follow suit, clapping half-heartedly in unison. The Doctor smiles along happily, until he's given a swift, well-deserved smack to the back of his head.
'Why?' he whines, rubbing the spot.
'You're enjoying this too much,' comes the quiet, reprimanding thought.
He winces at the reminder.
The Alchemist narrows her eyes, her expression sharp.
"And you are?" she asks, voice even but cold.
The woman waves off the question with a dismissive hand, "The Doctor, the Alchemist, and their companion. That's the pattern, isn't it?" her tone shifts, becoming dark and sinister, causing the Time Lady to bristle, her instincts on edge, "There's no point hiding anything. Not from us. So where is she?"
"Yes," the Doctor nods, eager to appease her, "Sorry. Good point. She's just a bit shy, that's all."
The Doctor reaches back into the TARDIS, expecting to pull out his intended target, but instead, grabs Jackie.
"Here she is, Rose Tyler," the Alchemist says dryly, her tone laced with sarcasm.
The Doctor grimaces, glancing over at Jackie, "Hmm. She's not the best we've ever had. Bit too blonde," he remarks, eyeing her up and down, "Not too steady on her pins. A lot of that," he makes a chatty puppet with his hand, "And just last week, she ripped out the heart of the Time Vortex and aged fifty-seven years," he shrugs, "But she'll do."
"I'm forty," Jackie snaps defensively.
The Doctor winces, "Deluded. Bless," he says, shaking his head, "We'll have to trade her in. Do you need anyone? She's very good at tea. Well, I say very good, I mean..."
"Her tea is actually very nice," the Alchemist quips, "It's her... mother's that I have issue with."
Jackie's eyes widen as she turns sharply to the Time Lady. The Alchemist's narrowed gaze sends a clear message—she knows exactly what her daughter is up to, and she's not pleased.
The Doctor clears his throat, stifling a laugh, "Anyway, lead on. Allons-y!" he grins but then grimaces slightly, "But not too fast. Her ankle's going."
The woman begins walking, and they follow, trailing just behind her.
Jackie glares at the Doctor and mutters through clenched teeth, "I'll show you where my ankle's going."
"And she really will, if you're not careful, love," the Alchemist adds, voice dripping with warning.
The Doctor shrugs, unconcerned, and continues walking with a grin on his face.
The woman leads them through a maze of corridors, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. They eventually emerge into an open floor space filled with alien artifacts—crates stacked high, tables covered in strange objects. Scientists and engineers move through the area, discussing the findings, while jeeps and trucks buzz around them.
[Warehouse]
She walks ahead, her heels clicking sharply on the floor, "It was only a matter of time until you found us, and at last, you've made it," she says, turning to face them with a smug smile, "I'd like to welcome you, Doctor, Alchemist. Welcome to Torchwood."
The Alchemist growls loudly, the sound echoing through the room, causing the woman to glance at her warily.
"That's a Jathaa Sun Glider," the Doctor remarks, eyes widening as he spots the ship hanging from the roof.
The woman shrugs nonchalantly, "Came down to Earth off the Shetland Islands ten years ago."
"What, did it crash?" the Doctor asks, concern creeping into his voice.
The Alchemist shakes her head, pointing at a section of the ship, "No, see that pitting? They must have shot it down."
"It violated our airspace," the woman defends, her tone dismissive, "Then we stripped it bare. The weapon that destroyed the Sycorax on Christmas Day? That was us."
"That was you?" The Alchemist approaches, her voice seething, "Do you have any idea how furious the Queen and UNIT were? How furious we were?"
The woman shrugs again, unbothered, "We do it for the people, defending them."
"Under whose orders?" the Time Lady demands sharply.
The woman swallows, turning her back, "Now, if you'd like to come with me..." she trails off, before continuing, her voice growing colder, "The Torchwood Institute has a motto. 'If it's alien, it's ours.' Anything that comes from the sky, we strip it down, and we use it for the good of the British Empire."
Jackie frowns, "For the good of the what?"
"The British Empire," the woman repeats, as though it's obvious.
"There isn't a British Empire," Jackie snaps.
"Not yet," she says with a sly smile.
The Alchemist's eyes narrow, suspicion clear, "The Queen doesn't even know about this, does she?"
"We do it in her name," the woman replies quickly, before turning away, "Ah, excuse me."
A soldier approaches, handing the woman a massive, unfamiliar gun. She turns back to the Doctor and the Alchemist, holding it up for inspection.
"Do you recognize this, Doctor? Alchemist?"
"That's a particle gun," the Alchemist responds sharply, glaring at it.
"Good, isn't it?" she smiles proudly, "Took us eight years to get it to work."
The Doctor shakes his head, incredulous, "It's the 21st century. You can't have particle guns."
"We must defend our border against the alien," the woman states primly, before handing the weapon back to the soldier, "Thank you, Sebastian, isn't it?"
"Yes, Ma'am," he replies.
"Thank you, Sebastian," she grins, "I think it's very important to know everyone by name. Torchwood is a very modern organization. People skills. That's what it's all about these days. I'm a people person."
"Doubt you know the meanings of their names," the Alchemist mutters, a sharp edge to her voice.
"Is that important?" the woman asks, arching a brow.
"To me? Yes."
The Doctor glances around, "Have you got anyone called Alonso?"
"No, I don't think so," the woman frowns, "Is that also important?"
He shrugs nonchalantly, "No, I suppose not. What was your name?"
"Yvonne," she replies, "Yvonne Hartman."
"It means yew or archer, in case you didn't know," the Alchemist adds offhandedly before turning to her husband, "I'll keep that in mind when I next have tea with Elizabeth."
"You speak with the Queen?" Yvonne asks, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm on her speed dial," the Alchemist says flatly, before walking away, her husband following closely behind.
The Doctor watches as the Alchemist picks through crates, eventually pulling out a black device by the handle.
"Ah, yes," Yvonne clears her throat, eager to demonstrate, "Now, we're rather fond of these. The Magnaclamp. Found in a spaceship buried at the base of Mount Snowdon. Attach this to an object, and it cancels the mass. I could lift two tonnes of weight with a single hand. That's an imperial ton, by the way. Torchwood refuses to go metric."
Jackie smirks, crossing her arms, "I could do with that to carry the shopping."
"All these devices are for Torchwood's benefit, not the general public's," Yvonne snaps, her tone cold.
The Doctor picks up a magnifying glass and turns, looking at the Alchemist through it. She rolls her eyes in amusement. Jackie makes a face at Yvonne, and when she stops, she shrugs proudly, accepting the Alchemist's wink.
"So, what about these ghosts?" the Doctor asks, turning back to Yvonne.
"Ah yes, the ghosts," she hums thoughtfully, "They're... what you might call a side effect."
"Of what?" the Doctor demands, his frustration evident.
"All in good time, Doctor. There is an itinerary, trust me."
They all turn when they spot the blue TARDIS on the back of a truck, driving through the area.
"Oi! Where are you taking that?" Jackie demands, her voice laced with alarm, knowing Rose is still inside.
"If it's alien, it's ours," Yvonne replies without missing a beat.
The Doctor shrugs casually, "You'll never get inside it."
"Hmm!" Yvonne smirks, "Et cetera."
Rose peeks out from the TARDIS, her eyes meeting the Doctor's. The Doctor and the Alchemist exchange a quick, resigned glance, desperately hoping she stays inside for once.
[ Corridor ]
The trio and Yvonne are flanked by armed soldiers, the air thick with tension. The Alchemist stands poised, her eyes darting constantly, scanning the surroundings for potential threats and possible escape routes. Her every instinct is on high alert.
The Doctor, holding his Bondmate's hand, frowns as they walk, "All those times I've been on Earth, I've never heard of you."
The Alchemist mumbles under her breath, her tone laced with quiet frustration, "I have, and you should be gone by now."
The Doctor glances at her, raising an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Yvonne, unbothered, continues her explanation, "But of course not. You're the enemy. In fact, you're specifically named in the Torchwood Foundation Charter of 1879 as an enemy of the Crown."
The Doctor's eyes narrow, intrigued, "1879. That was called Torchwood, the house in Scotland... but Ally was named Dame Lady Starlight."
Yvonne nods, a faint smirk tugging at her lips, "That's right. Where you encountered Queen Victoria and the werewolf."
Jackie rolls her eyes. "I think he makes half of it up."
The Alchemist scoffs, clearly unimpressed, "Her Majesty created the Torchwood Institute with the express intention of keeping Britain great," she mutters, her voice dripping with disdain, "...and fighting the alien horde."
Yvonne purses her lips, clearly displeased with the interruption.
"Queen Elizabeth II ordered Torchwood to disband in '71. You've been operating illegally ever since. What do you have to say for yourselves?" the Alchemist pivots on her heel, her voice a sharp demand.
Yvonne, ever defiant, straightens, "We do it for the people. She doesn't know what's right any more than she did back then."
The Alchemist's scoff is laced with contempt, "Then it looks like you're about to learn exactly why she decided to disband this operation in the first place, Ms Hartman."
The Doctor, raises an eyebrow, "But if I'm the enemy, does that mean I'm a prisoner?"
The Alchemist crosses her arms, "And what about me? I'm the Protector of the Crown."
Yvonne smirks, her eyes glinting with a mix of arrogance and amusement, "Oh yes. But we'll make you perfectly comfortable. They don't have to know about you, Alchemist. And there is so much you can teach us... starting with this."
She holds up an ID card to a scanner, unlocking a door. She gestures for them to follow, her expression smug.
[Sphere laboratory]
"Now, what do you make of that?" Yvonne asks, a smirk on her face as she watches the two Time Lords.
The Alchemist and the Doctor's gazes lock immediately on the massive hovering sphere in the center of the lab. Their reactions are strikingly different: the Alchemist's face hardens, her anger palpable, while the Doctor's brow furrows in concern. They exchange a brief glance, a silent understanding passing between them, clearly deciding to address this issue later.
The Alchemist breaks the silence with a low grow, "It's something that shouldn't be here."
Her eyes narrow in frustration, knowing exactly who created this vessel and who ordered it.
"You must be the Doctor and the Alchemist!" a man steps forward, extending his hand eagerly, "Rajesh Singh. It's an honor, sir, ma'am."
The Time Lords don't even acknowledge the gesture. They remain transfixed on the impossible object before them.
"Yeah..." the Doctor mutters distractedly, still staring at the sphere.
"No," the Alchemist seethes, her voice sharp with quiet fury, her eyes never leaving the ship.
Jackie, her voice a breath of uncertainty, asks, "What is that thing?"
Yvonne shrugs, unfazed, "We've got no idea."
"But what's wrong with it?" Jackie presses.
Rajesh turns to her, raising an eyebrow, "What makes you think there's something wrong with it?"
"I don't know. It just feels... wrong," Jackie admits, glancing nervously at the floating sphere.
The Doctor ascends the small steps leading up to the platform where the sphere hovers. The Alchemist groans, following him closely, unwilling to let him near it alone.
Yvonne lets out an exasperated sigh, "Well, the sphere has that effect on everyone. Makes you want to run and hide, like it's forbidden."
"We tried analyzing it using every device imaginable," Rajesh informs them, but the Doctor's attention is already fixated on the strange object.
The Doctor fishes out his 3D glasses and peers at the sphere through them, then offers them to his wife, who waves them away with a soft shake of her head. She doesn't need them; she already knows the truth. The Doctor frowns, pockets the glasses, and turns back to Rajesh, listening intently.
Rajesh continues, oblivious to the tension, "But according to our instruments, the sphere doesn't exist. It weighs nothing. It doesn't age. No heat, no radiation, and has no atomic mass."
"But I can see it," Jackie protests.
Rajesh nods, "Fascinating, isn't it? It upsets people because it gives off nothing. It is... absent."
"Well, Alchemist, Doctor?" Yvonne prompts, clearly eager for their take.
The Doctor steps closer, his voice barely above a whisper, "This is a Void Ship."
The Alchemist turns sharply toward her, her tone darkening, "And it shouldn't be here."
"What, and why's that?" Yvonne challenges, clearly intrigued.
The Doctor crosses his arms, his brow furrowing even deeper, "Well, for starters, it's impossible," he scratches his head, processing the implications, "I always thought it was just a theory... but I guess not."
The Alchemist adds, her voice tight, "It's a vessel designed to exist outside of time and space, to travel through the Void."
Rajesh, his curiosity piqued, asks, "And what's the Void?"
The Doctor sighs, clearly frustrated by the need to explain.
He sits on the step, the weight of the knowledge pressing on him, "The space between dimensions. There's all sorts of realities around us—different dimensions, billions of parallel universes all stacked up against each other. The Void is the space in between, containing absolutely nothing … Imagine that. Nothing. No light, no dark, no up, no down, no life, no time. Without end."
The Alchemist picks up where he leaves off, her voice quieter but no less intense. "Our people called it the Void. The Eternals call it the Howling. Some call it Hell. But it's not entirely empty. There's life there."
The Doctor, with a faint smile, adds, "You'll be explaining that more later, Ally."
She hums in acknowledgment but doesn't look at him. Instead, she sits beside him, and he wraps an arm around her comfortingly.
"But someone built the sphere," Rajesh asks, curious, "What for? Why go there?"
"To explore? To escape?" the Doctor shrugs, "You could sit inside that thing, and eternity would pass you by. The Big Bang, end of the Universe, start of the next, wouldn't even touch the sides. Apparently, you'd exist outside the whole of creation beyond some amount of life."
"You see, we were right," Yvonne grins, "There is something inside it."
The Doctor shoots her a dark look, "Oh, yes."
Rajesh looks between them, "So, how do we get in there?"
"We don't!" The Alchemist explodes, her voice cutting through the room, "You don't ! That ship wasn't completed for a reason! We send it back right now. I can't stop it from opening when it's in use, 'cause there's no actual access point. You need more…" she pauses, clamping her mouth shut, "I'm not telling you. We need it gone before anything worse happens. There are monsters in there!"
The Doctor, standing now, adds firmly, "If my wife says it's bad, then it's bad. We don't open it. We send that thing back into Hell where it belongs."
The Time Lady, still unyielding, presses, "How did it get here in the first place?"
"Well, that's how it all started," Yvonne explains, "The sphere came through into this world, and the ghosts followed in its wake."
"Show us," the Doctor demands, already moving, hand in hand with the Alchemist.
He begins to turn left, but the Alchemist tugs on his arm, guiding him right. He pauses, glancing at her with a mix of surprise and recognition.
"It's this way," she grumbles, knowing the path instinctively.
Yvonne watches, slack-jawed, as the Alchemist pulls the Doctor in the right direction, shaking her head. Jackie lets out a quiet laugh, glancing at Yvonne with an amused look.
[Yvonne's office]
Entering the expansive, sterile white space, Yvonne gestures toward the open wall at the far end of the Lever room.
"The sphere came through here," she explains, "A hole in the world. Not active at the moment, but when we fire the particle engines at that exact spot, the breach opens up."
The Alchemist steps forward, running her fingers along the wall, her expression darkening.
"It's a time breach backfire, just like I theorized," she mutters.
The Doctor follows suit, feeling along the wall also, his brow furrowing.
"How did you even find this?" the Alchemist asks, a trace of concern in her voice.
Yvonne shrugs nonchalantly, "We were getting warning signs for years. A radar black spot. So, we built this place—Torchwood Tower. The breach was six hundred feet above sea level. It was the only way to reach it."
The Doctor slips his 3D glasses back on, scanning the wall with a critical eye.
"You built a skyscraper just to reach a spatial disturbance? How much money do you have?" he asks incredulously.
"Enough," Yvonne smirks, unfazed.
She strides off, inspecting the lever room, ensuring everything's running smoothly.
The Doctor lowers his voice, "Any theories on where it's originating?"
The Alchemist glances at him, her eyes shadowed with concern, "Unfortunately."
"Where...?" the Doctor begins, but Jackie interrupts him.
"Hold on a minute," Jackie says, her eyes widening as she looks out the window, "We're in Canary Wharf! Must be. This building—it's Canary Wharf!"
Yvonne raises an eyebrow, "Well, that's the public name for it," she informs Jackie, "But to those in the know, it's Torchwood."
The Doctor scoffs in disbelief, "So, you find the breach, probe it, and the sphere comes through six hundred feet above London, and boom. It leaves a hole in the fabric of reality. And what do you think? 'Shall we leave it alone? Back off? Play it safe?' No. You think, 'Let's make it bigger!'"
"You think this is power, don't you?" the Alchemist says, her voice dripping with disdain, "Why didn't you contact UNIT? They have the technology to analyze universal breaches properly. I built the device for them years ago, specifically for situations like this. They would have told you exactly what this is before you caused any damage so we could close it and save you," she shakes her head in annoyance, "But instead, you're about to be attacked, and you don't even realize it, Ms. Hartman."
Yvonne scoffs, rolling her eyes, "Trust UNIT? Hah! That's a joke. They haven't the faintest idea of what they're dealing with. This," she gestures to the sphere, "This is a massive source of energy. If we can harness it, we'll never need to rely on the Middle East again. Britain will stand completely independent. Look for yourself. The next Ghost Shift is in two minutes."
With that, Yvonne turns sharply, leaving the office and heading back to the lever room, leaving the Alchemist seething in her wake.
[Lever room]
"Cancel it," the Time Lady demands, grabbing the woman by the shoulder, grip firm.
Yvonne cannot pull away, "I don't think so."
The Alchemist tightens her grip, her fingers digging in painfully.
"We're warning you, cancel it," the Doctor orders.
Yvonne sneers, glancing over with a mocking scoff, "Oh, exactly as the legends would have it. The Doctor, lording it over us. Assuming alien authority over the Rights of Man."
"Then listen to me," the Alchemist says, "Cancel it."
Yvonne smirks, trying to break free from the Alchemist's painful hold, "Not a chance."
"You're going to stand here and watch," the Time Lady remains unyielding.
The Doctor nods, striding forward, "Let me show you."
He pulls out his sonic and approaches her glass wall partition, "Sphere comes through," pointing it, he turns it on, and the glass splinters, a hole appearing in the middle of an 'o' in 'Torchwood.' Cracks spider web around it.
The Doctor continues, nodding towards it, "But when it made the hole, it cracked the world around it. The entire surface of this dimension splintered. And that's how the ghosts get through. That's how they get everywhere. They're bleeding through the fault lines. Walking from their world, across the Void, and into yours, with the human race hoping and wishing and helping them along. But too many ghosts, and..."
The Doctor taps the glass with the tip of his finger and it finally shatters, falling in dangerously sharp splinters to the floor.
The Alchemist releases her grip on Yvonne's shoulder, glancing at her with a raised brow. Yvonne rolls her shoulder, grimacing as she tries to shake off the lingering pain.
"Well, in that case, we'll have to be more careful," she calls out, her voice cutting through the room, "Positions! Ghost Shift in one minute."
"Miss Hartman, I am asking you, as the Protector of the Crown, please don't do it," the Alchemist implores.
"We have done this a thousand times."
"Then stop at a thousand!" the Doctor shouts.
Yvonne's smile is cold as she replies, "We're in control of the ghosts. The levers can open the breach, but equally, they can close it."
"Okay," the Doctor sighs in response,
He enters the office and rolls out a chair, offering the seat to his wife. She smiles and accepts, crossing her legs and kicking her booted foot to an inner beat.
Yvonne frowns, "Sorry?"
The Doctor dismisses her with a wave, "Never mind. As you were."
"What, is that it?"
"No, fair enough. Said my bit. Don't mind me. Any chance of a cup of tea?" he says, massaging the Alchemist's shoulders from behind.
"Ghost Shift in twenty seconds," a female staff member calls out.
"Mmm, we can't wait to see it," the Alchemist smiles.
Yvonne glares at them both, her patience wearing thin, "You can't stop us, Alchemist, Doctor."
The Doctor looks at Jackie, who steps up beside them, a small smile playing on her lips.
"No, absolutely not! Pull up a chair, Rose," he says, gesturing, "Come and watch the fireworks."
Jackie settles in, grinning. Meanwhile, Yvonne and the Alchemist lock their eyes in a silent battle of wills. The human woman is afraid to look away, but she's forced to meet the Alchemist's intense gaze.
"Ghost Shift in ten seconds," the staff member announces, "Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two..."
The Alchemist quirks a brow.
"Stop the shift. I said stop!" Yvonne yells, finally turning from the Time Lady.
"Thank you," the Doctor grins.
Yvonne scowls, clearly agitated.
"I suppose it makes sense to get as much intelligence as possible. But the program will recommence as soon as you've explained everything," she says with pursed lips.
"We're glad to be of help," the Alchemist quips.
"And someone clear up this glass!" Yvonne orders, before glancing at the Doctor with a wry smirk, "They did warn me, Doctor. They said you like to make a mess."
[Yvonne's office]
Yvonne sits behind her desk, laptop open, "So these ghosts, whatever they are, did they build the sphere?"
The Doctor casually has his feet on the desk, crossed at the ankles. He's tapping his toe to the beat of the song stuck in the Alchemist's head.
He shrugs, "Must've. Aimed it at this dimension like a cannonball."
The Alchemist shakes her head, "No, they didn't build it, Doctor. And it wasn't aimed; it came through a dimensional bouncing breach in time."
"What?" the Doctor asks, his voice laced with concern and confusion. "Then who? How?"
She glances at him briefly, then glares back out the window, "I don't know exactly how. But no one should have that ship," she continues, "The breaches act like magnets to anything that doesn't belong within the Void. If it's there, it'll come through. The only device I know of was never fully perfected, but it came close. Newer TARDISes could travel through the Void itself. The Daleks were prevented from using it as a form of space-time travel during the war. Wherever that device is originating from... it will hit this universe, because that's where it originated."
The Doctor sighs heavily. The realization hits him — the breach creator is a device made by one of the Elites.
'Why won't you tell me who built the sphere?' he asks, his mind racing.
'I will when I'm ready,' she replies, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Yvonne frowns, confused, "What are you..."
Rajesh's voice interrupts over the computer, "Yvonne? I think you should see this. We've got a visitor. We don't know who she is, but funnily enough, she arrived at the same time as the Alchemist and the Doctor."
The Doctor's facade drops for just a microsecond, but Yvonne doesn't catch it. She spins her laptop around so the couple can see the webcam feed, where Rose, dressed in a lab coat, sits beside Rajesh.
"She one of yours?" Yvonne asks dryly, raising an eyebrow.
The Doctor shrugs casually, "Never seen her before in my life."
Yvonne smirks, an edge of dark humor in her voice, "Good. Then we can have her shot."
"Oh, alright then," he sighs and pulls his legs off the desk, sitting straight, "It was worth a try."
"That's Rose Tyler," the Alchemist mutters under her breath, clearly annoyed with the girl.
"Sorry," Rose grimaces, waving awkwardly, "Hello."
Yvonne nods towards Jackie, "Well, if that's Rose Tyler, who's she?"
Jackie shrugs nonchalantly, "I'm her mother."
Yvonne laughs, "Oh, you travel with her mother?"
"He kidnapped me!" Jackie protests.
The Alchemist glances at Jackie, a touch of sarcasm in her voice, "Sometimes I'd rather we be traveling with you, Jackie."
Jackie catches the meaning, swallowing hard as she glances warily at the screen her daughter is on.
The Doctor scoffs, shaking his head, "Please, when Torchwood writes my complete history, don't tell people my wife and I traveled through time and space with her mother."
"Charming," Jackie retorts, glaring.
The Doctor turns to her, his face full of mock exasperation, "I've got a reputation to uphold!"
The sound of the ghost-shift engines powering up begins to reverberate through the office.
Yvonne stands, her expression tightening, "Excuse me? Everyone?" she steps forward, her voice rising, "I thought I said stop the Ghost Shift. Who started the program? But I ordered you to stop!" her gaze sharpens as she notices the levers moving upward on their own, "Who's doing that?"
She storms towards the monitors, "Right, step away from the monitors, everyone."
No one moves, and she calls out more urgently, "Gareth, Addy, stop what you're doing right now. Matt, step away from your desk. That's an order! Stop the levers! Andrew!"
Two scientists scramble over, attempting to push the levers back down.
"Stop the levers!" Yvonne cries, her frustration mounting.
The Doctor and the Alchemist approach the woman who seems to be in control of the situation.
The Time Lords, looking alarmed, ask, "What's she doing?"
"Addy, step away from the desk," Yvonne commands, her voice sharp as she walks toward her, "Listen to me. Step away from the desk."
The Alchemist scans the scene and spots the earpods that seem to be turned into comm devices.
Her eyes narrow, "She can't hear you. They're overriding the system. We're going into Ghost Shift."
The lights in the room flicker and grow brighter as the Doctor, the Alchemist, Jackie, and Yvonne look toward the white wall, their expressions full of worry.
[Sphere laboratory]
The hum of machinery vibrates through the lab, a steady, familiar presence. Rajesh frowns at the readings on his console, his fingers hovering over the keys. Something isn't right. The energy levels—there shouldn't be any.
He taps his comm, his voice edged with urgency, "Yvonne, I thought you said the next Ghost Shift was canceled. What's going on? Yvonne?"
Silence.
A deep, resonating rumble shakes the floor beneath him. Equipment rattles. Lights flicker.
Rajesh grips the console as a sickening realization grips him. His eyes dart to the glowing interface, the impossible data scrolling in front of him. His breath catches.
"It can't be," he whispers, "It's active!"
[Lever Room]
Looking back, the Alchemist and the Doctor examine the earpieces worn by the blank-eyed workers. They share a brief, troubled glance.
"It's the earpiece," the Doctor explains, his voice heavy with regret, "It's controlling them. We've seen this before. Sorry. I'm so sorry."
He stands behind her, using the sonic screwdriver on Addy's earpiece. As he switches it off, Addy lets out a scream before collapsing onto her desk, followed by Gareth and Matt.
Yvonne gasps, horrified, "What happened? What did you just do?"
"They're dead," the Doctor says softly, his expression grim.
Jackie steps back, her voice shaking, "You killed them."
The Doctor sighs, his tone weary, "Oh, someone else did that long before I got here."
"But you killed them!" Jackie protests.
"Jackie, we haven't got time for this," the Alchemist interjects, her eyes already scanning the computer for answers.
Yvonne, her curiosity piqued, steps closer, "What are those earpieces?"
"Don't touch it," the Alchemist warns sharply.
"But they're just standard comm devices. How can they control them?" Yvonne insists, pressing on.
"Trust me, Ms Hartman. You need to leave them alone," the Alchemist urges, her voice rising in frustration.
But Yvonne doesn't listen. She removes the earpiece from Addy's ear, and a chunk of brain tissue comes with it.
"Urgh! Oh, God! It goes inside their brain!" Yvonne yells, horrified, and immediately drops the earpiece.
"I did warn you. Not my fault you don't listen to reason," the Alchemist snaps, her patience thinning.
The Doctor calls out, his focus shifting between the screens, "What about the Ghost Shift?"
"Ninety percent there and still running. Can't you stop it?" Yvonne asks, her voice tinged with panic.
"No," the Alchemist replies, "They're still controlling it. They've hijacked the system," despite the mounting urgency, she keeps trying to hack in.
"Who's 'they'?" Yvonne demands.
"It's a remote transmitter, Doctor. It's got to be close by," the Time Lady explains, her gaze sharp.
He nods, determination in his eyes, "That means we can trace it."
Adjusting the settings on his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor begins scanning for the signal. The device starts to beep, the noise quickening in frequency. They exchange a look of resolve.
"Jackie, stay here!" the Doctor commands, his voice urgent as he and the Alchemist take off down the corridor.
"Keep those levers down!" Yvonne shouts to her team, turning to follow, "Keep them offline!"
As she hurries after them, they move quickly through the winding corridors. The Doctor's sonic pulses with each new reading, guiding them ever closer to the source of the interference.
[Sphere laboratory]
"We've got a problem down here," Rajesh tries again, his voice edged with panic. "Yvonne, can you hear me?"
The sphere shakes violently in midair, sending ripples of tension through the room.
"Yvonne, for God's sake," he calls into the communicator, desperation rising in his tone, "The sphere is active! The readings are going wild! It's got weight, it's got mass, an electromagnetic field. It exists!"
A sudden noise from behind freezes him, his eyes widening with dread.
"The door's sealed," he breathes, fear creeping into his voice, "Automatic quarantine. We can't get out!"
Mickey stands up, his expression steady despite the growing chaos, "It's all right, babe. We've beaten them before; we can beat them again. That's why I'm here. The fight goes on."
Rose turns to him, a confused frown on her face, "The fight against what?"
"What do you think?"
The sphere shakes even harder, its energy increasing as if it's on the verge of exploding.
[ Corridor ]
The Doctor continues tracking the signal with his sonic screwdriver, the beeping growing more frequent as they press forward.
They pass two soldiers heading in the opposite direction, and Yvonne halts them.
"You two. You come with us."
"Yes, ma'am," one soldier replies, falling into step behind them as they flank the pair.
The Alchemist, listening in on the conversation from the sphere room, tightens her jaw in frustration. She may not be able to stop them from escaping, but she's determined to keep them from causing any more damage.
"Doctor, I need to go!" she shouts, her voice tinged with urgency as she flashes away.
"I thought that was just a rumor..." Yvonne whispers, awe creeping into her voice.
The Time Lord scoffs, "Clearly not."
'Where did you go?' the Doctor asks, his concern rising as he adjusts his pace.
She replies, her thoughts clear, but strained, 'Sphere room.'
The Doctor swallows his fear for her, his voice a little more tense, 'I'll get to you soon.'
'I know,' she responds, her tone calm despite the situation, 'Do what you need to. I've got this for now.'
[Unoccupied floor]
"What's down here?" the Doctor asks as they approach an area cordoned off with plastic sheeting.
Yvonne shakes her head, "I don't—I don't know. I think it's building work. It's just renovations."
He strides forward, calling out, "You should go back."
"Think again," she retorts, stepping through the plastic curtain to follow him.
The sonic beeps again, and the Doctor glances down at it; brow furrowed in confusion.
"What is it? What's down here?" Yvonne presses, her voice laced with tension.
He scans the surroundings, his eyes narrowing as he takes it all in. "Earpieces, earpods. This world's colliding with another, and I think I know which one."
A group of shadowy figures emerges from behind the curtain, closing in on them.
"What are they?" Yvonne asks, fear creeping into her voice.
"They came through first," the Doctor says, his tone grim, "The advance guard."
The figures tear through the plastic sheets with their metallic hands, emerging into full view.
"Cybermen!" the Doctor shouts, his voice rising with alarm.
The two soldiers immediately open fire, but the bullets merely ricochet off the Cybermen's armor. Desperation flickers across their faces as they search for an escape, only to find themselves surrounded.
[Sphere laboratory]
"We had them beaten, but then they escaped," Mickey explains, "The Cybermen just vanished. They found a way through to this world, but so did we."
Rose frowns, confusion evident, "The Doctor said that was impossible."
Mickey scoffs, a dry chuckle escaping him, "Yeah, it's not the first time he's been wrong."
Rose's gaze shifts to the ominous sphere.
"What's inside that thing?" she asks, her voice tinged with apprehension.
He shrugs, "No one knows. Cyber Leader, Cyber King, Emperor of the Cybermen. Whatever it is, he's dead meat."
Rose turns to Mickey, her face softening slightly, "It's good to see you."
"Yeah," Mickey admits, his smile genuine, "Good to see you too."
"All of you, get down and get behind me," the Alchemist orders, her voice commanding as she flashes into the room.
"Ally!" Mickey exclaims, a smile breaking across his face, while Rajesh stares wide-eyed at her sudden appearance.
She waves him off, urgency in her tone, "Later. We have something much worse than a Cyberman in that ship."
"What could possibly be worse?" Rose demands, her eyebrows knitting together.
The Alchemist glares, her expression hardening, "Daleks."
At the mention of the name, Rose and Mickey's eyes widen in shared fear, their gaze turning to the ship, a sense of dread settling over them.
[Lever room]
The Cybermen escort the Doctor and Yvonne back into the Rift Device Room, their hands raised behind their heads in compliance.
"Get away from the machines," the Time Lord calls out urgently, "Do what they say. Don't fight them!"
The Cybermen, unfazed, target the scientists manning the levers, firing their arm guns. The scientists drop to the floor, lifeless.
"What are they?" Jackie asks, her voice trembling with horror.
"We are the Cybermen," one replies coldly. "The Ghost Shift will be increased to one hundred percent."
With a metallic thud, the Cyberman strikes its chest, and the levers spring back into motion.
"Online," the computer announces, its voice sterile.
'Amara?' the Doctor calls out mentally, 'It's the Cybermen. All of them!'
The lights in the room flare up once more, growing brighter and more intense.
"Here come the ghosts," the Doctor whispers, his heart sinking.
The room falls into a tense silence as they turn to face the wall. A moment later, the 'ghosts' begin to step through, their forms growing more solid with every passing second. They move in perfect formation, their once-ethereal shapes fully solidifying into Cybermen.
[Sphere laboratory]
Rajesh frantically calls into his comm, his voice strained with urgency, "Can anyone hear me? Come on, I need help down here! I need..."
The sphere stops quaking. Rajesh takes a cautious step back, his eyes wide, as Rose, the Alchemist, and Mickey stand by, all watching in tense silence.
The Alchemist hears her Bondmate's call for her, but the weight of her anger keeps her from responding. She bites back the urge to react.
Mickey shrugs off his white lab coat, swiftly pulling out his earpiece.
"Are you sure?" Rose asks, her voice filled with doubt.
The Alchemist's teeth grind in frustration, "I wouldn't say it if I wasn't, Rose Tyler."
Mickey exhales slowly, bracing himself, "Here we go."
Before their eyes, the Sphere begins to crack open, its surface splintering ominously.
[Lever room]
"But these Zybermen, what've they got to do with the ghosts?" Jackie asks, confusion in her voice.
The Doctor rounds on her, frustration bubbling over, "Do you Tylers never listen? A footprint doesn't look like a boot!"
"Achieving full transfer," the CyberLeader announces coldly.
"They're Cybermen," the Time Lord explains, his tone grim, "All of the ghosts... are Cybermen. Millions of them, all across the world."
He watches, helpless, as the relentless march of the Cybermen continues, spreading out in waves.
'Amara!?' he calls again, his voice laced with concern, but there's no answer.
The flood of Cybermen keeps pouring through, and screams of panic begin to ripple through the air.
"They're invading the whole planet!" Yvonne cries out, her voice edged with terror.
"It's not an invasion," the Doctor says quietly, his face filled with remorse, "It's too late for that. It's a victory."
'I'm well aware, but we have another situation,' the Alchemist finally replies, her tone urgent.
The Doctor's eyes widen in realization. All eyes shift to the laptop, now beeping erratically.
"Sphere activated," the computer announces, its voice growing increasingly frantic. "Sphere activated. Sphere activated. Sphere activated."
[Sphere laboratory]
"I may have been wrong about what's in there," Mickey says, his voice thick with determination, "but I've got just the thing to stop them."
He ducks under the platform of the sphere, his fingers brushing the hidden weapon. With a grunt, he pulls it free.
Aiming the massive gun squarely at the sphere, he grins, "This is going to blast them to Hell."
"Samuel, what are you doing?" Rajesh calls out, alarmed, his eyes wide with concern.
"The name's Mickey," he corrects him, cocking the gun with a steady hand, "Mickey Smith. Defending the Earth."
The sphere continues to split apart with an eerie metallic groan. But before Mickey can act, the Alchemist steps forward, her arm extended to stop him.
"Put it down, Mickey," she commands, her voice low and firm, "They see you with a gun, and you're dead. That won't work anyway. All of you—sit down in the corner. Now!"
Mickey hesitates, the weight of her words sinking in. He swallows hard, his grip loosening around the gun as he lowers it. Trusting the Time Lady completely, he stashes it out of sight and pulls Rose into the corner, following her lead.
"Rajesh, you as well," the Alchemist says, her spine rigid, her eyes hard as steel.
Rajesh glances back, momentarily uncertain, but nods. He follows the Alchemist's command, moving swiftly to join them in the corner.
[Lever room]
"But I don't understand," the Doctor says as he turns to face a Cyberman, "This technology is way beyond the Cybermen's comprehension. How did you use the sphere?"
"The sphere is not our doing," the Cyberman responds coldly.
"What?" The Doctor's brow furrows, caught off guard.
"The sphere broke down the barriers between worlds. We only followed. Its origin is unknown."
The Doctor's mind races, piecing together fragments of the puzzle.
"Then what's inside it?" he presses urgently.
Jackie's voice trembles as she turns to the Doctor, her concern clear, "Rose is down there."
The Doctor's frown deepens, "And so is my wife."
His words are heavy, weighed down by a growing sense of dread. A flash of memory hits him. He recalls what the Alchemist said earlier, her words sharp with fury.
"The Alchemist said she knew who made the Void ship... She was furious that it was here. She said... monsters. Oh no."
His heart sinks as the implications hit him all at once.
[Sphere laboratory]
The sphere slowly fades, its brilliance blinding for a moment before it vanishes completely. As the light dissipates, four Daleks glide out, their chilling presence instantly filling the room with terror and rage.
The Alchemist exhales heavily, her expression hardening as she recognizes the unmistakable forms.
"Not them," she murmurs.
Mickey's mouth hangs open, eyes wide with shock, "You're right. Those aren't Cybermen."
The Time Lady, ever calm, gives a dry reminder, "I usually am."
She drops into a defensive kneeling stance, ready for whatever comes next.
"Oh, my God," Rose whispers, her voice trembling with fear.
"Location, Earth," Dalek Sec announces in its cold, mechanical voice, "Life forms detected. Exterminate!"
"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" the other Daleks join in, their voices melding into a terrifying chorus.
The Daleks land with a slow, purposeful menace, their eyestalks fixed on the group. With unwavering precision, they begin to advance.
"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"