{"Will you be our babysitter, Martha Jones?"}
Everyone is hanging on to the console, I let out a grunt as I gripped Fay tightly although not enough to squish her. "What the hell's it doing?" Donna shouted, taking her turn to check on me. Everyone had one as we moved throughout the vortex, and know it was hers apparently. "The control's not working." He gets thrown about and gets a look at the jar at the base of the time rotor. I watched his face scrunch up, "I don't know where we're going, but my old hand's very excited about it." Donna paused in the chaos, "I thought that was just some freaky alien thing. You telling me it's yours?" I snorted back a laugh, "Well." He uttered out, the TARDIS still vibrating. "It got cut off. He grew a new one."
"You are completely impossible."
"Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely."
There's a bang, and sparks, then stillness and peace. Theta rushes over to check on me and Fay as I nod to him in reassurance. He lets out a breath kissing us both on the forehead before he grabs his coat and runs outside. Donna and Martha gap at him as I let out a small laugh, grabbing a sling for Fay, I head out after him.
It looks like a junk yard in a railway arch at night. "Why would the Tardis bring us here, then?" Theta muttered as he held Fay and I slipped on the sling before gently putting her inside. "Oh, I love this bit." Martha breathed out as her and Donna stepped out together. "I thought you wanted to go home." Donna spoke with a smirk as she raised an eyebrow towards Martha who shrugged. "I know, but all the same, it's that feeling you get." She laughed looking at us, my hand slipping into Theta's. "Like you swallowed a hamster?" Suddenly soldiers rushed into the room, my eyes started to glow but he squeezed my hand to stop me. "Don't move! Stay where you are! Drop your weapons."
Three men are pointing rifles at us, so we raise our hands. Theta looks slightly pissed that they were pointing guns at Fay while I was fuming. Both Donna and Martha side stepped in front of me, "We're unarmed. Look, no weapons. Never any weapons. We're safe. We have a baby." Theta got more irritated with everyone word him spoke. "Look at their hands. They're clean." One of the soldiers pointed towards us causing us all to look confused. "All right, process them. Him first." Two soldiers take Theta, "Oi, oi. What's wrong with clean hands?" Theta shouted lightly as he tried to get away from the men. I would have fought but I had Fay and I didn't want to do something stupid that could get her hurt. "What's going on?" Theta is taken to a machine and his right arm is pushed inside it. "Leave him alone." Donna snaps as something inside grabs his arm.
"Something tells me this isn't about to check my blood pressure. Argh!" It clearly hurts, I almost couldn't help but snort at the look he shot me. "What are you doing to him?" Donna asked me as she pulled me back, "Everyone gets processed." The man spoke eyeing us with a glare. "It's taken a tissue sample. Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow. And extrapolated it. Some kind of accelerator?" Theta is released and he moved over with a pout on his face, practically telling me to kiss it better. "Are you all right?" There is a graze on the back of his hand. "What on earth? That's just..." A pair of glass and metal doors open and a figure steps out from the steam of the brightly lit interior. She is a skinny blonde woman in combat boots and trousers, and a khaki t-shirt.
"Arm yourself." He hands the newcomer a rifle. "Where did she come from?" Martha asked as I frowned and gently bounce Fay in her sling. "From me." Theta spoke up, I could tell he didn't like her. I almost didn't either but I couldn't say she wasn't mine either. "From you?. How? Who is she?" The woman checks the rifle is ready for use. "Well, she's, well, she's my daughter. Well, our daughter." Theta looks over at me, lifting up his hand and wiggling it. It was the hand I always held, Donna and Martha gapped at us.
"Hello, Dad. Mom."
"You primed to take orders? Ready to fight?"
"Instant mental download of all strategic and military protocols, sir. Generation five thousand soldier primed and in peak physical health. Oh, I'm ready." She takes her place with Cline and the other soldiers at a barricade. "Did you say daughter? She's Fay?" Theta looked at Donna like she was barmy, "No. Not Fay. But Technically." He uttered out, "Technically how?" Martha asked with a raised eyebrow. "Progenation. Reproduction from a single organism. Means one parent is biological mother and father. You take a sample of diploid cells, split them into haploids, then recombine them in a different arrangement and grow. Very quickly, apparently. Although she's got a bit of me in her seeming as I was holding his hand recently. It's just a little on the cell that was taken, so technically." I explained to them causing them to nod slightly. "Something's coming." There are shadows on the tunnel wall. As they come into view, the figures start firing. I quickly place a shield around us as the other people take cover.
"It's the Hath!" They return fire, "Get down!" We end up moving off to take cover but I refuse to let my shield down. The Hath are wearing breathing masks, but we can see they have big fish eyes and very wrinkled necks. "We have to blow the tunnel. Get the detonator." Cline shouted back, "I'm not detonating anything." Theta goes to help a wounded soldier causing me to drop my shield in shock. "D!" I shouted out as the Hath breach the barricade and one grabs Martha. The blonde takes on another hand to hand, then gets the detonator. "Blow the thing! Blow the thing!" Cline demanded as Martha screamed, I reach for her as my eyes begin to glow. "Martha! No. Kate Don't." She hits the button. A klaxon sounds and everyone runs before the big KaBOOM brings down the roof. I let out a shout as the connect broke leaving Martha on the other side alone.
"You've sealed off the tunnel. Why did you do that?" Theta asked with wide eyes as I try to calm a upset Fay. I shush her lowly rocking her back and forth. "They were trying to kill us." The blonde girl stated with a frown towards me and Fay. "But they've got my friend. Our friend." Theta spoke up in horror and anger, I could tell he was pissed. "Collateral damage. At least you've still got her. He lost both his men. I'd say you came out ahead." She smirked causing me to puff out a breath in irritation. It wasn't helping that Fay was hungry and there were guys all around. "Her name's Martha. And she's not collateral damage, not for anyone. Have you got that, GI Jane?" Donna snapped causing her to raise an eyebrow in retaliation. "I'm going to find her." Theta spoke up, "You're going nowhere. You don't make sense, you three. No guns, no marks, no fight in you. I'm taking you to General Cobb. Now, move."
We made our way deeper underground, Donna had gone to walk by the blonde as Thera and I walked together. I was feeding Fay while walking so Theta wanted to be beside me to make sure no one decided to look. I found it quite adorable, "I'm Donna. What's you name?" Donna spoke up causing us all to listen in on their conversation. "Don't know. It's not been assigned." The blonde stated leading us, "Well, if you don't know that, what do you know?" Donna asked her with a frown. "How to fight." I stated causing her to nod in agreement, that's what she was created for, I know that feeling well enough. Theta turned to me with a frown, "You weren't created for them. You were made for me." I blushed at his mental statement causing him to look smug with himself.
"Nothing else?" Donna asked, bringing the attention to them again. "The machine must embed military history and tactics, but no name. She's a generated anomaly." Theta explained to Donna who slightly looked horrified. "Generated anomaly. Generated. Well, what about that? Jenny." She asked turning to the blonde who smiled at our friend. "Jenny. Yeah, I like that. Jenny." She nodded happily, "What do you think, Dad?" Donna teased him causing me to snort as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Good as anything, I suppose." He shrugged, "Not what you'd call a natural parent, are you?" She teased again, winking at me causing Theta to pout. "They stole a tissue sample at gunpoint and processed it. It's not what I call natural parenting."
"Rubbish. My friend Nerys fathered twins with a turkey baster. Don't bother her." Donna stated with a shrug, "You can't extrapolate a relationship from a biological accident. Besides I created Fay, didn't I?" He smirked at me cussing me to sputter out a scoff. "Er, Child Support Agency can." Donna stated with a raised eyebrow, "Look, just because I share certain physiological traits with simian primates doesn't make me a monkey's uncle, does it?" He snapped, getting annoyed with this topic. I sighed looking away, it was hard for us to except her. Especially since she really wasn't ours, not like Fay. "I'm not a monkey. Or a child." She snapped before we continued onwards.
A large room with a slightly domed roof and a gallery. There are more clone chambers here, the ambient lighting is red. "So, where are we? What planet's this?" Theta asked the leader, "Messaline. Well, what's left of it." Cline explained to us causing Theta to nod. "Six six three seventy five deceased. Generation six six seven one, extinct. Generation six six seven two, forty six deceased. Generation six six eight zero, fourteen deceased. Generation six...." I had to tune out the rest, the announcement was listing all of the dead. "But this is a theatre." Donna gapped looking around the area with wide eyes. "Maybe they're doing Miss Saigon." Theta smirked at her causing her to roll her eyes at him. I let out a laugh, Fay had finally settled again. Smiling down at her, I gently rubbed her check causing her to lean into me. She was a wonderful baby, my baby. Theta gently sits me down on a bed next to where we had stopped, "It's like a town or a city underground. But why?" A man with a neatly trimmed white beard approaches us, I frowned eyeing him. "General Cobb, I presume." Theta spoke up with his head held high, "Found in the western tunnels, I'm told, with no marks. There was an outbreak of pacifism in the eastern zone three generations back, before we lost contact. Is that where you came from?"
"Eastern zone, that's us, yeah. Yeah. I'm The Doctor, this is Donna, Kate and our daughter Fay."
"And I'm Jenny."
"Don't think you can infect us with your peacemaking. We're committed to the fight, to the very end."
"Well, that's all right. I can't stay, anyway. I've got to go and find my friend."
"That's not possible. All movement is regulated. We're at war." Cobb stated with a frown, "Yes, I noticed. With the Hath. But tell me, because we got a bit out of circulation, eastern zone and all that. So who exactly are the Hath?" Theta asked with a frown, Cobb gestures for us to follow him. "Back at the dawn of this planet, these ancient halls were carved from the earth. Our ancestors dreamt of a new beginning. A colony where human and Hath would work and live together." He leads us through the theater halls, "So what happened?" I asked causing him to eye me and Fay for a second before he turned back. "The dream died. Broken, along with Hath promises. They wanted it all for themselves. But those early pioneers, they fought back. They used the machines to produce soldiers instead of colonists, and began this battle for survival." He explained, I frowned, there was no way it was all on the Hath. "There's nothing but earth outside, why's that? Why build everything underground?"
"The surface is too dangerous." Cobb explained, "Well, then why build windows in the first place? And what does this mean?" Donna points at numbers on a plaque, 601707. "The rites and symbols of our ancestors. The meaning's lost in time." Cobb told us with a sad look in his eyes, "How long's this war gone on for?" I asked him, both Theta and I knew much about wars. "Longer than anyone can remember. Countless generations marked only by the dead." He told us sadly, "What, fighting all this time?" Donna asked in horror, "Because we must. Every child of the machine is born with this knowledge. It's our inheritance. It's all we know. How to fight, and how to die."
Cobb leads us to the side of the Theater, were a projected map was displayed in blue. Theta puts on his specs, I couldn't help but rumble lightly at the sight. He always looked so damn good in his specs, now is not the time Kate. "Does this show the entire city, including the Hath zones?" He asked rubbing his chin, "Yes. Why?" Cobb asked, "Well, it'll help us find Martha." I stated watching them, before I turned to study the map. "We've more important things to do. The progenation machines are powered down for the night shift, but soon as they're active, we could breed a whole platoon from you three." I scoffed looking towards him with a glare, "I'm not having sons and daughters by some great big flipping machine. Sorry, no offence, but you're not. Well, I mean, you're not real." She eyed Jenny who frowned back, "You're no better than him. I have a body, I have a mind, I have independent thought. How am I not real? What makes you better than me?" She snapped back at Donna, I rolled my eyes. "Well said, soldier. We need more like you, if ever we're to find the Source." I cocked my head at his words.
"Ooo, the Source. What's that, then? What's a Source? I like a Source. What is it?"
"The Breath of Life."
"And that would be?"
"In the beginning, the great one breathed life into the universe. And then she looked at what she'd done, and she sighed."
"She. I like that."
"Right. So it's a creation myth." Theta mocked with an eye roll, "It's not myth. It's real. That sigh. From the beginning of time it was caught and kept as the Source. It was lost when the war started. But it's here, somewhere. Whoever holds the Source controls the destiny of the planet." Theta makes the map buzz, I let out a small chuckle at his cheer. "Ah! I thought so. There's a suppressed layer of information in this map. If I can just..." He uses his sonic screwdriver on it, and up come more tunnels and chambers. "What is it, what's it mean?" Donna asked looking back and forth, "See? A whole complex of tunnels hidden from sight." Theta pointed to certain spots on the map. "That must be the lost temple. The Source will be inside. You've shown us the way. And look, we're closer than the Hath. It's ours. Tell them to prepare to move out. We'll progenate new soldiers on the morning shift, then we march. Once we reach the Temple, peace will be restored at long last."
Cobb leads us away from the map as he finishes giving orders, "Er, call me old-fashioned, but if you really wanted peace, couldn't you just stop fighting?" Theta asked the man who scoffed at him, "Only when we have the Source. It'll give us the power to erase every stinking Hath from the face of this planet." Cobb stated with certainty as if he knew this for a absolute. "Hang on, hang on. A second ago it was peace in our time. Now you're talking about genocide." I stated with a frown, "For us, that means the same thing." I scoffed looking down with a frown, why is it always violence? The human race no better than villains in a story book. "Then you need to get yourself a better dictionary. When you do, look up genocide. You'll see a little picture of me there, and the caption will read, over my dead body." Theta snarled angrily in the man's face, "And you're the one who showed us the path to victory. But you can consider the irony from your prison cell. Cline, at arms."
He points his gun at us causing Theta's face to darken drastically, my eyes started to glow red. "Oi, oi, oi. All right. Cool the beans, Rambo." Donna shouted as she stepped in front of us, "Take them. I won't have them spreading treason. And if you try anything, Doctor, I'll see that your woman and child dies first." My eyes snapped to his as Theta pushed his way into the man's face. "You touch them, I will make you rue the day you were ever born. I will rip you and your people to shreds. Don't think I won't." I stared at him in slight shock, I've never seen him make such a dark promise. Cobb actually looked frightened at the dark look in his eyes as I grabbed his arm gently and pulled him back. "Come on. This way." Cline began to lead us in a different direction. "I'm going to stop you, Cobb. You need to know that." Theta promised, still dark his eyes. "I have an army and the Breath of God on my side, Doctor. What'll you have?"
"This." He pointed towards me and then his brain. "Lock them up and guard them." Cobb demanded after scoffing towards Theta. "What about the new soldier?" Cline asked looking towards Jenny, "Can't trust her. She's from pacifist stock. Take them all."
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We end up in a large cage, numbered 60120716. "More numbers. They've got to mean something." Donna pointed out, causing me to nod with her. "Makes as much sense as the Breath of Life story." Theta grumbled annoyed with everything at the moment. "You mean that's not true?" Jenny asked looking at the three of us in confusion, "No, it's a myth. Isn't it, Doctor?" Donna asked him although she was looking to both of us. "Yes, but there could still be something real in that temple. Something that's become a myth. A piece of technology, a weapon." Theta explained to her causing her to scoff in annoyance. "So the Source could be a weapon and we've just given directions to Captain Nutjob?" She shot him a look causing him to wince, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, yes." I declared with a small laugh, "Not good, is it?" She asked me, I shook my head in denial. "That's why we need to get out of here, find Martha and stop Cobb from slaughtering the Hath. What, what are you, what are you, what are you staring at?" Theta frowned awkwardly at Jenny, who kept staring at him. "You keep insisting you're not a soldier, but look at you, drawing up strategies like a proper general." She stated raising an eyebrow, "No, no. I'm trying to stop the fighting." He told her with a frown, "Isn't every soldier?" She did have a valid point, both Theta and I were soldiers in a war that was lost. We have always tried to stop any fighting that we had seen after, because we didn't want another war. "Well, I suppose, but that's, that's. Technically, I haven't got time for this. Donna, give me your phone. Time for an upgrade."
Donna looked at me with a smirk, more amused by his reaction then to Jenny's point. "And now you've got a weapon." Jenny pointed out, "It's not a weapon." We spoke together as Theta stood up, grabbing me and placing me on the bench next to Donna. She smiled at me with a raised eyebrow as I blushed, "But you're using it to fight back. I'm going to learn so much from you. You are such a soldier." Jenny insisted causing him to roll his eyes, "Donna, will you tell her?" He gestured to her but she just let out a laugh. "Oh, you are speechless. I'm loving this. You keep on, Jenny." He sonics Donna's phone and calls Martha. "Martha, you're alive!" He shouted in excitement, "I'm with Donna, Kate and Fay. We're fine. What about you?" He told her gently causing Donna to frown, as she stood up next to him.
"And, and Jenny. She's fine too." Donna spoke sending a small smile to the girl who sat next to me. Theta eyed her for a second but honestly I didn't mind and I could keep myself safe now that I wasn't pregnant. "Yes, all right. And, and Jenny. That's the woman from the machine. The soldier. Our daughter, except she isn't, she's, she's. Anyway. where are you?" He paused for a long while, nodding along with her as she spoke to him over the phone. He then winced, "Oh, that was me. If both armies are heading that way, there's going to be a bloodbath." I figured they were talking about the map, it most likely appeared the same on their screen. "Just stay where you are. If you're safe there, don't move, do you hear?" He then frowns down at the phone as it disconnects.
We can hear the soldiers chanting, "To war!" Theta sighed as he steps away from the bars, "They're getting ready to move out. We have to get past that guard." He uttered out, "I can deal with him." Jenny stated, standing up. "No, no, no, no. You're not going anywhere." I cocked my head to the side as I watched him. Sure, I understand we're he was coming from but this was more. He didn't like her at all, I just didn't mind her. "What?" She asked slightly hurt, "You belong here with them." He told her causing Donna to scoff, "She belongs with us. With you. She's your daughter." She snapped looking between the both of us, I just looked down at sleeping Fay. "She's a soldier. She came out of that machine." I winced slightly at his words, she was no better than me. Why was I any different? "Oh yes, I know that bit. Listen, have you got that stethoscope? Give it to me. Come on." He pulled one out of his pocket and handed it to her.
"What are you doing?" Jenny asked slightly backing away from her. "It's all right. Just hold still." Donna listens to Jenny's chest, "Come here. Listen, and then tell me where she belongs." I watch as he listened, his eyes showing sadness. I cocked my head as he backed away from her, staring as if she wasn't allowed to be. "Two hearts." He breathed out causing me to stand up and turn towards the young girl. "Exactly." Donna breathed out with a nod and a small smile as she stared at us. I watched Jenny with a small frown, "What's going on?" She asked, "Does that mean she's a, Timelady?" Donna asked looking at me as I looked down at Fay. It may be hard for Theta but it was harder for me because I didn't actually give birth to her. I didn't get to see her grow, to know her. I didn't get that time with her that I will with Fay, "What's a Timelady?" Jenny asked looking at us confused. "It's who we are. It's where We're from." He told her gently, "And I'm from you."
"You're an echo, that's all. A Time Lord is so much more. A sum of knowledge, a code, a shared history, a shared suffering. Only it's gone now, all of it. Gone forever." He snapped in anguish, he couldn't except her and I wasn't sure if I wanted to. It may have been easy for someone like Donna but it was hard for us. "What happened?" She asked looking between us with a frown, "There was a war."
"Like this one?"
"Bigger. Much bigger."
"And you fought, and killed?"
"Yes."
"Then how are we different?"
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Theta had settled next to me again as we waited for Jenny to come up with a plan. Soon enough she smiled and moved over to where Cline was standing guard. "Hey." She smiled at him, "I'm not supposed to talk to you. I'm on duty." He told her gently, I raised an eyebrow in observation. "I know. Guarding me. So, does that mean I'm dangerous, or that I need protecting?" She asked him cocking her head to the side. "Protecting from what?" He asked her leaning into her, "Oh, I don't know. Men like you?" Jenny kisses Cline through the bars whilst taking his pistol. "Keep quiet and open the door." Donna snorted as we all moved towards the gate, "I'd like to see you try that." She teased causing me to smirk, "I have." Theta's head whipped towards me, "What?" Donna gapped at me as I continued onwards ignored another 'what?' That followed after me. There is a guard on the lower flight of metal stairs. "That's the way out." Jenny raises the pistol, "Don't you dare." Theta hissed at her, "Let me distract this one. I have picked up a few womanly wiles over the years." Donna stated with a smug look, "Let's save your wiles for later. In case of emergency." Donna huffs as Theta rummages in his coat pockets, and a few moments later a clockwork mouse grinds to a halt behind the guard. He picks it up and Jenny karate chops him from behind. "I was going to distract him, not clobber him."
I couldn't help but snort in amusement, "Well, it worked, didn't it?" She asked a he bent down to check the guard. "They must all have a copy of that new map. Just stay there. Don't hurt anyone." The mouse squeaks one more time causing Theta to look at it awkwardly then stuff it back into his pocket.
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Theta checks the map he took from the guard as he leads us through the tunnels. "Wait. This is it. The hidden tunnel. There must be a control panel." He points towards a wall, "It's another one of those numbers. They're everywhere." Donna muttered, 60120714. "The original builders must have left them. Some old cataloguing system." I told her with a cock of my head. Fay whimpered in her sling causing me to look down at her, "What is it baby?" I gently cooed at her as I lifted her and set her down. "You got a pen? Bit of paper? Because, do you see, the numbers are counting down. This one ends in one four. The prison cell said one six." I tuned them out as I reached into Theta's pocket and pull out a small bag. He had packed it and stuffed it full of wet wipes and diapers for Fay. She whined again as they argued more, "It's alright baby. Almost done." I kick Theta gently, glaring at him causing him to pout before helping me out Fay back in her sling.
He gets into the control panel, "Here it is." He smiles excitedly causing me to shake my head with a small smile. "And Time Lords. What are they for, exactly?" Jenny asked with a frown, "For? They're not, they're not for anything." I stated with a frown, cocking my head to the side. "So what do you do?" She asked looking between us, "We travel through time and space." Donna shook her head with a small smile at his answer. "They save planets, rescue civilisations, defeat terrible creatures. And runs a lot. Seriously, there's an outrageous amount of running involved." I snorted as the door opens. "Got it!" Theta cheered only to paused when we heard Cobb in the distance. "Squad five, with me." Theta's eyes widened, "Now, what were you saying about running?"
He takes off, is following after him. I have to be slower though seeming as I didn't want to jog Fay. He suddenly stops running just before the array of laser beams criss-crossing the passage. I scoff at the sight, "That's not mood lighting, is it?" Donna asked, Theta tosses the clockwork mouse into the lasers. It gets disintegrated, I raise an eyebrow. "No, I don't think so." I uttered out, "Arming device." He works on a blue box nearby. "There's more of these. Always eight numbers, counting down the closer we get."
It's the numbers once again, 60120713. "Right, here we go." Theta utters lowly, "You'd better be quick." Donna insisted with panic. We hear him shouting orders, "The General." Jenny states about to go rushing off when Theta grabs her. "Where are you going?" He asked her with frown, "I can hold them up." She insisted with a determined look as she watched him. "No, we don't need any more dead." I told her causing her to look back at me with a frown. "But it's them or us." She pointed out, "And if I have too, I will stop them." I told her causing her to shake her head back at me. "I'm trying to save your life." She insisted, "Listen to me. The killing. After a while, it infects you. And once it does, you're never rid of it." Theta told her gently, "We don't have a choice." She growled out in annoyance. "We always have a choice."
"I'm sorry."
"Jenny."
Jenny runs around the corner and readies a machine gun at the approaching voices. "There she is. At arms. Fire!" Jenny exchanges gunfire with Cobb and his soldiers. "I told you. Nothing but a soldier." Theta snarls towards Donna with a glare causing me to smack him. He nor I were any better than her, "She's trying to help." Jenny ducks out of sight to think. "Jenny, come on." He shouts towards her, "I'm coming." She shouts back at us, "Cease fire. Cease fire." The lasers go out and Theta quickly pushing me through so I could get to the other end. I could hear them shouting behind me but I was to far ahead to actually hear the words. Suddenly, Theta and Donna run down the corridor. Jenny stands and takes aim, then shoots a hole in a steam pipe above Cobb before running back. "Jenny, come on. That's it." Theta shouts towards her, "Hurry up." The lasers reappear causing my eyes to widen. "No, no, no, no, no, no. The circuit's looped back."
"Zap it back again."
"The controls are back there."
"They're coming."
"Wait. Just. There isn't. Jenny, I can't.."
"I'll have to manage on my own. Watch and learn, Father." Jenny throws away the weapon and somersaults her way through the laser beams. "No way. But that was impossible." Donna gapped in shock as I let out a laugh, "Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely. Brilliant! You were brilliant. Brilliant." Theta cheers happily, "I didn't kill him. General Cobb, I could have kill him but I didn't. You were right. I had a choice." Cobb and the soldiers appear at the other side of the lasers. Donna and Jenny run as Theta and I stand watching them. "At arms." Cobb snarled as Theta pushed me gently out of the way. "I warned you, Cobb. If the Source is a weapon, I'm going to make sure you never use it." Theta snarled angrily at the man. "One of us is going to die today and it won't be me." He turns and runs away from the hail of bullets pulling me along with him.
We walk further down the corridors, "What's it like, the travelling?" Jenny asked Donna as they walked side by side. Theta and I were walking together, Fay had finally woken up so he was switching his attention between playing with her and leading us. "Oh, never a dull moment. It can be terrifying, brilliant and funny, sometimes all at the same time. I've seen some amazing things though. Whole new worlds." Donna explained with a smile, "Oh, I'd love to see new worlds." Jenny breathed out as Theta tickled Fay who giggled at her father. "You will. Won't she, Doctor?" Theta frowns looking up, clearly not paying any attention to them. "Hmm?" He asked finally listening, "Do you think Jenny will see any new worlds?" Donna asked him, I could tell she was hinting towards Jenny traveling with us but I don't know if Theta would allow it.
"I suppose so."
"You mean. You mean you'll take me with you?"
"Well, we can't leave you here, can we?"
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Come on, let's get a move on."
"Careful, there might be traps."
"Kids. They never listen. Oh, I know that look. I see it a lot round our way. Blokes with pushchairs and frowns. You've got dad-shock." Donna teased again shooting me a wink as she gently rubbed Fay on the head. "Dad-shock?" He asked her, looking between us. "Sudden unexpected fatherhood. Take a bit of getting used to. Especially if one's a adult and the others a infant." I let out a laugh, "No, it's not that." He shook his head, "Well, what is it then? Having Jenny in the Tardis, is that it? What's she going to do, cramp your style? Like you've got a sports car and she's going to turn it into a people-carrier?" Donna asked with a frown, "Donna, I'm clearly not worried about that. Fay will grow up eventually." Donna frowned noticing something was wrong. "What?" She asked gently, "I'm just. When I look at her now, I can see them. The hole they left, all the pain that filled it. I just don't know if I can face that every day." I stared up at him in shock, "What about Fay?" I asked him stepping away causing him to frown.
"You wanted her. You asked me to have her, are you telling me you regret it?" I asked him, Donna watching us with wide eyes. "No. No. Not at all. It's just with Jenny. It's like she's a version of me that I wasn't able to keep from the darkness." I slowly nodded looking down at Fay who was already looking up at me as if she knew when we were talking about. Suddenly we hear gunfire and Jenny runs back. "They've blasted through the beams. Time to run again. Love the running. Yeah?" She smiled excitedly causing me to roll my eyes. Just like her father. "Love the running." We come upon a dead end, "We're trapped." Donna gapped in shock. "Can't be. This must be the Temple. This is a door." We see another set of numbers, "And again. We're down to one two now.."
"I've got it!"
"I can hear them."
"Nearly done."
"These can't be a cataloguing system."
"They're getting closer." Jenny stated as I watched Donna try and figure out what the numbers mean. "Then get back here." Theta shouts at Jenny. "They're too similar. Too familiar." Donna looks towards me as if needing confirmation which I nodded back. "Not yet." Jenny shouted back, "Now! Got it." Theta gets the plain door open, he makes me go through after Jenny before he and Donna come through. "They're coming. Close the door." He locks the door, turning to make sure everyone was ok. I gave him a small smile and nod as he kissed me gently, then kissing Fay on her head. "Oh, that was close." Jenny breathed out, "No fun otherwise." I teased sending her a wink. "It's not what I'd call a temple." Donna mutters as we all look around the big room. It was huge! "It looks more like..." Jenny paused trying to find the right words. "Fusion drive transport. It's a spaceship." I spoke looking up in slight awe. "What, the original one? The one the first colonists arrived in?" Donna asked looking at the both of us. "Well, it could be, but the power cells would have run down after all that time. This one's still powered-up and functioning. Come on."
We head up a flight of stairs to see someone is cutting their way through another door. "It's the Hath. That door's not going to last much longer. And if General Cobb gets through down there, war's going to break out." Jenny explained looking back and forth, "Look, look, look, look, look. Ship's log." The screen says Messaline Leader One mission log designation XG2482942-372. Theta begins to read it aloud, "First wave of Human/Hath co-colonisation of planet Messaline." Core subterranean deployment successful. Online and active. Phase one initiated. Construction drones deployed. Construction of sections 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3C & 3D complete. Phase one in progress. Construction drones active. Construction of sections 1C, 1D, 2C, 2D, 3A & 3C complete.
"So it is the original ship." Jenny breathed out, "What happened?" Donna asked with a frown, "Phase one, construction. They used robot drones to build the city." I explained to her as I read along with Theta. "But does it mention the war?" She asked, He scrolls down through Phase One in progress. Construction of western quadrant complete. Phase two initiated. Commencing colonisation protocol 0.7. Designated pioneer progenation in progress. Mission commander quarantined due to eruption of byzantine fever. Prognosis negative. "Final entry. Mission commander dead. Still no agreement on who should assume leadership. Hath and humans have divided into factions. That must be it. A power vacuum. The crew divided into two factions and turned on each other. Start using the progenation machines, suddenly you've got two armies fighting a never-ending war."
"Two armies who are now both outside." Jenny stated, "Look at that." 60120724 on a display above a screen showing the whole planet. "It's like the numbers in the tunnels." Theta frowned not understanding the meaning but Donna and I had figured it out. "No, no, no, no. But listen, I spent six months working as a temp in Hounslow Library, and I mastered the Dewey Decimal System in two days flat. I'm good with numbers. It's staring us in the face." She stated causing Jenny to look towards her, "What is?" She asked looking between the two of us. "It's the date. Assuming the first two numbers are some big old space date, then you've got year, month, day. It's the other way round, like it is in America" Donna explained to them, "It's the New Byzantine Calendar." I finished for her causing Theta's eyes to widen in realization. "The codes are completion dates for each section. They finish it, they stamp the date on. So the numbers aren't counting down, they're going out from here, day by day, as the city got built."
"Yes. Oh, good work, Donna." He cheered for her who smiled back at him happily. "Yeah. But you're still not getting it. The first number I saw back there, was sixty twelve oh seven seventeen. Well, look at the date today." She told him, "Oh seven twenty four. No." I nodded to him as he looked at me in confirmation. "What does it mean?" Jenny asked us, "Seven days." I announced, Donna looked excited that she had figured it out. "That's it. Seven days." She pointed to him, "Just seven days." He breathed out in shock, "What do you mean, seven days?" Jenny asked, looking between the three of us. "Seven days since war broke out." I told them, that's when Donna paused. "This war started seven days ago. Just a week. A week!" Jenny shook her head, "They said years." She breathed out in confusion, "No, they said generations. And if they're all like you, and they're products of those machines." I explained to her, "They could have twenty generations in a day. Each generation gets killed in the war, passes on the legend. Oh, Donna, you're a genius." He hugged her with a loud laugh.
"But all the buildings, the encampments. They're in ruins."
"No, they're not ruined. They're just empty. Waiting to be populated. Oh, they've mythologised their entire history. The Source must be part of that too. Come on." Further along, we meet up with Martha for a joyous reunion. "Kate! Doctor!" I let out a laugh as she rushes to hug him, "Martha! Oh, I should have known you wouldn't stay away from the excitement." He cheered as she pulled away and pulled me into a hug, giving Fay a kiss on the head. "Donna." She greeted the redhead who smiled and hugged her. "Oh, you're filthy. What happened?." Donna asked with a raised eyebrow, "I, er, took the surface route." She pointed upwards chasing us all to chuckle. "Positions." We hear Cobb shout, "That's the General. We haven't got much time." Theta insisted, "We don't even know what we're looking for." Donna told him causing him to grip his hair in frustration. "Is it me, or can you smell flowers?" Martha asked causing us all to take in a deep breath to smell the air.
"Maintain defensive positions."
"Yes. Bougainvillea. I say we follow our nose."
"Squads seven to ten, advance. With me."
It's a spaceship and it is filled with plants. What else should I call it? "Oh, yes. Yes. Isn't this brilliant?" We walk up to a glowing globe on a pedestal with wires running to it. There is a control panel and screen nearby. "Is that the Source?" I asked them, "It's beautiful." Jenny smiles looking at it in awe, "What is it?" Martha asked looking up Theta for an answer. "Terraforming. It's a third generation terraforming device." He explained to her, "So why are we suddenly in Kew Gardens?" Donna asked this time, "Because that's what it does. All this, only bigger. Much bigger. It's in a transit state. Producing all this must help keep it stable before they finally...." The Hath and the soldiers run in from opposite sides. "Stop! Hold your fire!" Theta shouted standing protectively in front of me and Fay. "What is this, some kind of trap?"
"You said you wanted this war over." I stated with a frown watching the man. "I want this war won." Cobb snarled angrily, "You can't win. No one can. You don't even know why you're here. Your whole history, it's just Chinese whispers, getting more distorted the more it's passed on. This is the Source. This is what you're fighting over. A device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's nothing mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some creator. It's a bubble of gases. A cocktail of stuff for accelerated evolution. Methane, hydrogen, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids. It's used to make barren planets habitable. Look around you. It's not for killing, it's bringing life. If you allow it, it can lift you out of these dark tunnels and into the bright, bright sunlight. No more fighting, no more killing." Theta takes the globe, "I'm the Doctor, and I declare this war is over." He throws the globe onto the floor, where it smashes and releases gas and energy. Everyone watches it slowly rise up, then they start to put down their weapons. All except Cobb, "What's happening?" Jenny asked looking around in awe, "The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process." I explained.
"What does that mean?"
"It means a new world."
"No!"
Jenny takes the bullet Cobb intends for Theta. He lays her on the ground, as I turn my head towards Cobb. My eyes glowed causing him to shout in pain as he fell to his knees holding his head. "Jenny? Jenny. Talk to me, Jenny." My head snapped towards them, "Is she going to be all right?" Martha shakes her head. "A new world. It's beautiful." Jenny laughed gently, "Jenny, be strong now. You need to hold on, do you hear me? We've got things to do, you and me, hey? Hey? We can go anywhere. Everywhere. You choose." Theta tried to reason, to keep her alive. "That sounds good." She smiled up at me one last time, "You're my daughter, and we've only just got started. You're going to be great. You're going to be more than great. You're going to be amazing. You hear me? Jenny?" Jenny dies in his arms, my eyes flashed a red color as I tried to calm myself. This wasn't the time to bring more terror. "Two hearts. Two hearts. She's like us. If we wait. If we just wait." Theta cradled her with tears but Martha shook her head. "There's no sign, Doctor. There is no regeneration. She's like you, but maybe not enough."
"No. Too much. That's the truth of it. She was too much like me." I told them gently placing a hand on his shoulder before he lays Jenny down and kisses her forehead, then goes over to Cobb. Cline and another soldier are holding his arms and making him kneel. Theta picks up the pistol and points it at Cobb's head for a very long time before putting the safety back on. "I never would. Have you got that? I never would. When you start this new world, this world of Human and Hath, remember that. Make the foundation of this society a man who never would." He walked over to me, giving me a kiss before he grabbed Fay and walked away. I knew he needed a moment and if being with Fay helped him then I was ok with it.
Jenny is lying in state when sunlight beings to stream through the stained glass windows. "It's happening. The terraforming." Martha smiled in excitement, "Build a city, nice and safe underground, strip away the top soil and there it is. And what about Jenny?" Donna asked with a sad look on her face. "Let us give her a proper ceremony. I think it'd help us. Please." We nodded before leaving them to it, she was one of them.
"Jenny was the reason for the Tardis bringing us here. It just got here too soon, which then created Jenny in the first place. Paradox. An endless paradox. Time to go home?" He asked Martha who nodded back with a smile, "Yeah. Home." Theta nods before setting the coordinates for Martha's home.
"Are you sure about this?" Donna asked Martha as we watched them say goodbye from afar. "Yeah, positive. I can't do this any more. You'll be the same one day." Martha smiled at Donna, "Not me. Never. How could I ever go back to normal life after seeing all this? I'm going to travel with that family forever." Donna shook her head with a smile as she looked back at us. "Good luck." Martha breathed out, "And you." We make our way over to Martha as Donna took a step backwards. "We're making a habit of this." Theta let out a small chuckle, smiling down at her. "Yeah. And you'd think it'd get easier. All those things you've been ready to die for. I thought for a moment there you'd finally found something else other than Kate and Fay worth living for." Martha breathed out as she stared up at him. He smiled at Fay and I, "Oh there's always something worth living for, Martha." They hug causing me to smile, she then turned to me with a hug.
"Bye, Doctor. Kate." She kissed Fay gently on the head with a smile. "Goodbye. Doctor Jones." My eyes widened as I grabbed her arm before she could leave, "Martha! Sorry, we forgot to ask. Will you be our Babysitter, Martha Jones?" She stared back at me with wide eyes before letting out a small laugh and pulling me into a careful hug. "Of course! Anytime. Just give me a call." I nodded at her with a smile before we walked back to the Tardis after saying goodbye again. Martha looks at her engagement ring then goes into her home.
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Later that night, I was bouncing Fay gently to sleep when two arms wrapped around my waist. I smiled as we began rocking, watching as our little one slowly fell asleep. "I have a gift." He uttered out lowly as he kissed my neck gently, I turned to watch as he moved over to the dresser. He opened the bottom on and pulled out a small blanket. My eyes widened as he walked over with a small smile on his face. It was a beautiful baby blanket with Fay's name in Gallifreyen. "Oh Theta." I breathed out as he helped me wrap Fay in it. Tears gathered in my eyes as she snuggled deeper in it, "It's beautiful." I breathed out, putting her in her crib with a smile.
He wrapped his arms around my waist again as he placed his chin on my shoulder. "Took me a month." He grumbled lightly causing me to chuckle gently. "Well I think you deserve a reward for your efforts." I murmured turning to him causing to raise an eyebrow. He was making sure that I was positive with were this was going, I smirked and nodded causing him to smile widely. Letting out a small gasp as I was picked up bridal style, he hummed with a smile.
I blushed as he carried me out of our daughters room and into ours where we spent the rest of the night within each other's arms.
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Hey guys!
Another chapter out!!
I hope you guys like, thank you all once again for the love and support.
I do try to answer any questions but I'm trying not to spoil to much. This was a long one, I don't know why but it just came out that way.
Anyway, quick statement/question....
I have another Merlin fanfic planned out, I actually have three but I wanted to publish only one. So I was wondering if I should publish it or not. I won't be working on it for a bit so I don't think I should but I wanted to give y'all the cast so I thought I could but I can't.
Ugh.
The decision making is painful.
I am trying to work on my other fics but right now this is the one I'll most likely be updating.
Please don't be mad.
Love you all and thank you!!!!
8,513 Words