Parallel: From Another World [1] (The Parallel Series) ✓

The Age of Steel - Two

Master

Four knocks

The three words echoed in her head. What does that mean? Rita thought confused. The could swear that those words were said in an 'episode' but she couldn't remember or think about it. No matter how hard she tried her brain pushed it away. Why?

"He has been upgraded." A Cyberman informed the Doctor.

"So he's just like you?"

"He is superior." It answered. "The Lumic Unit has been designated Cyber Controller." A door then opened and gas looking like fog seeped out of the door most likely for dramatic effect. A metallic robot-like chair with a larger than normal Cyberman rolled out.

"This is The Age of Steel and I am its Creator." The now Cyberman Lumic spoke in a voice like the other Cybermen but different.

"Mr Lumic" The Doctor stepped closer. "You changing innocent people, humans who did nothing" He spoke deadly and seriously. "If this doesn't stop I will have to force it"

"You cannot stop this" He simply replied. The Doctor stepped back saying no other words knowing that Jake and Mickey were doing something. They then began to hear screams, Rita and the Doctor both knew that they did it.

"That's my friends at work. Good boys!" The Doctor looked up smiling. "Mister Lumic, I think that's a vote for free will." He clicked his tongue and winked.

Lumic answered not seeming fazed at the issue at all. "I have factories waiting on seven continents. If the ear pods have failed, then the Cybermen will take humanity by force. London has fallen. So shall the world."

"But the thing is Mister Lumic that humans will fight because what they see is fear, human instinct to run away from fear" He stopped talking Rita nudged him a little then whispered to him not making it obviously to Lumic. "Secret, the camera" He nodded a little.

"I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace" Lumic started to talk countering against the Doctor. "And unity and uniformity."

"And imagination? What about that?" The Doctor asked. "The one thing that lead you here, imagination, you're killing it dead!"

"What is your name?" Lumic asked him.

"I'm the Doctor," He said quite proudly.

"A redundant title. Doctors need not exist. Cybermen never sicken."

"Yeah, but that's it. That's exactly the point! Oh, Lumic, you're a clever man. I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room even if I wasn't you still wouldn't be a genius because Rita is here." Rita snapped her head in his direction feeling the heat slightly rise to her cheeks she looked down slightly not wanting anyone to notice. "But everything you've invented, you did to fight your sickness. And that's brilliant. That is so human. But once you get rid of sickness and mortality, then what's there to strive for, eh? The Cybermen won't advance. You'll just stop. You'll stay like this forever. A metal Earth with metal men and metal thoughts, lacking the one thing that makes this planet so alive. People. Ordinary, stupid, brilliant people." He finally finished his speech.

"You are proud of your emotions." Lumic noticed speaking as if they were venom.

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, yes."

"Then tell me, Doctor. Have you known grief, and rage, and pain?" Lumic asked him.

"Yes. Yes, I have." The Doctor replied.

"And they hurt?" Lumic pressed on with questioning him.

"Oh, yes."

"I could set you free. Would you not want that? A life without pain?"