𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔊𝔞𝔪𝔢 𝔖𝔱𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫
𝔜𝔢𝔞𝔯 200,100
EJ Thompson, aged twenty, had been arrested only twice. The first was when he beat his father to a pulp aged only fourteen, and it was the only way his mother could think to keep them both safe. The second was after breaking into a newsagents to steal some food when he was fifteen, just before his father died, and he was being starved for his next procedure.
In comparison to those, being taken into custody in the Game Station was much more frightening. They were brash, and they didn't care, but he couldn't work out why. At least he knew some of the police back home, and that softened the blow a little.
They were taken to floor zero where the cells were. One by one, they were searched. It made EJ feel dirty, like he'd done something wrong, like he had committed some awful sin when all he was trying to do was save his friend. They were too late to help.
One by one, they were thrown into the cells after having their mugshots taken. They took everything that they had on their persons, including EJ's purple pen and keys, which pissed him off. The Doctor received a rougher treatment as he was shoved forcefully against the grate, taking the sonic out of his jacket.
"Can you tell us the purpose of this device, sir?" When he didn't answer, the shoved him in the cell so they were sat beside each other on a bench. "Can you tell us how you got on board?"
Lynda called out. "Just leave him alone."
The guard grabbed ahold of her face, forcing her to look at him. "I'm asking him. Sir? Can you tell us who you are?"
EJ perhaps hadn't considered how much of an effect this would take on the Doctor. He knew Rose before he ever new the Thompson boy. Losing her had broken his heart, and now they needed to learn how to fix him as fast as possible.
"You will be taken from this place to the lunar penal colony to be held without trial. You may not appeal against this sentence. Is that understood?"
Though they weren't allowed to reply, they took it as an understanding. Then, they turned away, and stepped through the gate, which would be locked until they were ready to be taken away. The Doctor and Jack must've had a prior understanding, because there was something in the way they looked at each other which made EJ wonder.
"Let's do it."
Jack jumped up from the bench and kicked the first guard out of the way before grabbing onto the doorframe. He swung like some sort of gymnast to knock him over from behind as the Doctor hit a third against a wall a few times. When they were certain that they wouldn't move anymore, they beckoned EJ and Lynda to leave with them.
They grabbed what they needed from the confiscation pile, EJ taking back his possessions and stuffing them in his pockets. The Doctor took his sonic, and Lynda a necklace, but Jack took the biggest gun he could find, and as many rounds of ammo as possible. He gave it to the Doctor as they approached the lift. There was only one destination in mind.
Floor 500.
Now, EJ didn't like lifts at the best of times. This much, you already understand. His father was a cruel man, and anything which reminded the boy of him often made him shake. Even in death, he couldn't escape Scott Thompson. It was almost a testament to his work ethic.
Though he refused to admit it, he thought about his father often. Whenever he thought about his siblings, he thought about his father, because they were forever linked. He couldn't have Grace, or Tate, or Isaac without Scott. It wasn't fair, but it was the truth.
EJ didn't even talk to his family much anymore. Tate preferred to keep to himself, with his wife and children, where they could come to no harm. Isaac didn't have any family of his own, but he had work, and that was enough for him.
His sister had a son the same age as EJ. Both her and her newlywed husband died soon after their marriage, but the child was kept alive. Grace named him Michael. She believed in a God, and imposed that love into her son. Their mother, Emily, took care of him, but none of them got to see him for a very long time.
It felt wrong, to not know anything about his family. But none of them wanted to relive the bad times. They didn't want to face their problems head one. Their demons were still hidden in the dark.
The Doctor cocked the gun, and it pulled him out of his daydreams. He lead the way as the lift doors opened, and EJ knew he was safe, or as safe as he could be given the circumstances. And then, he marched forwards. A sense of power had been thrust into him, unlike him, but brilliant all the same.
"Okay, move away from the desk. Nobody try anything clever." Jack announced, following closely behind. "Everybody clear, stand to the side and stay there."
There was a woman attached to the system, with wires and tubes connecting her physically. She didn't seem human, and perhaps she wasn't. "Who's in charge of this place?"
She looks absently into the distance. "19, 20."
He talked at her like she understood. "This satellite's more than just a game station."
"79, 80."
"Who killed Rose Tyler?"
"All staff are reminded..."
His voice bellowed like the depths of an ocean and all the greatest storms had piled together. "I want an answer!"
The woman blanked them once again, and from the congregation of workers, a nerdy looking man raised a trembling hand. "She can't reply." The Doctor turned to him, forgetting the gun was in his hand. "Don't shoot!"
He sneered a little and shook his head. Then, he threw the gun into his arms. "Oh, don't be so thick, like I was ever gonna shoot. Captain, we've got more guards on the way up, secure the exits."
Jack got to work, quickly. "Yes, sir!"
"You. What were you saying?"
"But..." The scrawny looking man shook. "I've got your gun."
"Okay, so shoot me." The Doctor couldn't have been less bothered. "Why can't she answer?"
"She's, erm, can I put this down?"
"Wow, you're strong." EJ groaned, sarcastically. "So impressive."
"If you want," The Doctor replied, suddenly becoming bored. "Just hurry up."
He threw the gun to the side. "Thanks. Sorry, erm, the Controller is linked into the transmissions, the entire entire output goes through her brain. You're not a member of staff, so she doesn't recognise your existence."
"What's her name?"
"I don't know. She was installed when she was five years old, that's the only life she's ever known."
"Doors sealed." Jack interrupted. "We should be safe for about ten minutes."
"Keep an eye on 'em." The Doctor warned.
The nerdy man spoke up, still unsure whether his voice could be heard. "But that stuff you were saying about something going on with the Game Station, I think you're right. I've kept a log, unauthorised transmats, encrypted signals. It's been going on for years."
He commanded. "Show me."
"You're not allowed in there." One of the women interrupted as Jack pressed his hand against one of the door latches. "Archive Six is out of bounds."
With two guns slung across his chest, Jack raised them sarcastically. "Do I look like an out of bounds sort of guy?"
EJ almost laughed, and he would have if it was any other time. It only took him a moment to try again and for him to walk into the bright white room. Jack was... he was unlike anyone else that EJ had ever met. It was frightening. It only made him want to know Jack more.
The Controller was interesting, as she still stared off into the distance, as if no one else was there at all. "Solar flare activity at delta-point-one."
The woman programmer seemed to be getting frustrated. "If you're not holding us hostage, open the door and let us out, the staff are terrified."
"That's the same staff who execute hundreds of contestants?" The Doctor scoffed, raising an eyebrow.
"That's not our fault. We're just doing our jobs."
"With that sentence you just lost the right to even talk to me, now back off!"
Suddenly the lights went out, and the systems jammed. "That's just the solar flares." The man informed. "They interfere with the broadcast signal, so this place automatically powers down. Planet Earth gets a few repeats. It's all quite normal."
The Controller whispered, and EJ's head snapped towards her. "Doctor..."
"Doctor?"
"Whatever it is, you can wait." He shut the woman down, without a second thought.
"No, Doctor." EJ mumbled, catching his attention more efficiently. "She wants you. She's saying your name."
"Doctor... Doctor... where's the Doctor?"
He ran as fast as his legs carried him to be directly in front of her. "I'm here."
Though her looks were vague, she knew exactly what she was saying. "I can't see, blind... so blind, all my life blind. All I can see is numbers, but I saw you."
"What do you want?"
"Solar flares hiding me, they can't hear me. My masters listen, but they can't hear me now, the sun, the sun is so bright."
"Who are your masters?"
"They wired my head. The name is forbidden. They control my thoughts, my masters, I had to be careful. They monitor transmission but they don't watch the programmes. I could hide you inside the games. I knew that you would find me."
The Doctor's voice turned sour. "My friend died inside your games."
"It doesn't matter."
"Don't you dare tell me that!" EJ wanted to grab his hand, to hold it, and tell him everything would be alright. But she didn't know if it would be, and false hope was the worst of them all.
"They've been hiding, my masters, hiding in the dark space, watching and shaping the Earth, so... so... so many years. Always been there, guiding humanity, hundreds and hundreds of years."
"Who are they?" The Doctor pressed.
"They wait and plan and grow in numbers, they're strong now, so strong, my masters."
"Who are they?"
"But speak of you." She froze, almost in a stasis. "My masters, they fear the Doctor."
"Tell me!" It was the very thing he felt in his soul he needed to know. "Who are they?"
And then, she gasped. The engines powered up again, and her entire being seemed to seize up before returning to natural function. Everything was back online, and it was ruining their plan.
"When's the next solar flare?" The Doctor begged the question.
The man shrugged from his desk. "Two years time."
"Fat lot of good that is!"
EJ was glad that Jack ran back to them when he did. Everything was growing more and more tense by the minute, and he needed some sort of release from the pressure.
"Found the Tardis!" He announced, bright and sparky.
"You did?" EJ sighed in relief. "How is she?"
"She's perfect." Jack smiled, knowing that the ship meant a lot to him.
The Doctor grit his teeth. "We're not leaving now."
"No, but the Tardis worked it out." He pulled the man from his chair to work on the controls for a moment. "You'll wanna watch this. Lynda, could you stand over there for me, please?"
The girl tripped over her words as her heart raced faster than it ever had before. "I... I just wanna go home."
"It'll only take a second, could you stand in that spot? Quick as you can!" So, reluctantly, she ran over to the spot that Jack had asked for. "Everybody watching? Okay, three, two, one..."
He pressed on singular button, and a bolt of electricity shot from the ceiling. With it, Lynda disappeared. It was like lightening. All that was left, just like Corby and Rose, was ash. The Doctor couldn't hide the fury and complete bamboozlement on his face.
"But you killed her!"
There was something in the way that Jack smiled. "Oh, do you think?"
Seeing their concern, and wanting to show off just a little, Jack pressed another button. It was weird, because it was like everything had reversed. Whilst the ash still lay on the ground, Lynda reappeared in front of them, fully herself. Not a part of her was missing.
Her eyes widened in panic. "What the hell was that?"
"It's a transmat beam, not a disintegrator, a secondary transmat system." Jack had never been so excited. "People don't get killed in the games, they get transported across space." It was hard to hide their growing smiles, so the Captain made the executive decision to confirm it. "Doctor, Rose is still alive!"
There were many embraces as they came to terms with everything that had happened so far to them. The Doctor laughed, which was than they could say for his recent behaviour. EJ was just glad to be able to hold Jack in his arms and smile about the fact that Rose was still alive.
So, the next task was just as important, and they needed all of the brains they could get. Rose was somewhere in the universe without any help. She had been transported. They needed to find her.
"She's out there somewhere!" The Doctor called.
"Doctor!" The Controller's voice filled the room. "Coordinates 5.6.1."
"Don't," He attempted to convince her otherwise, however weak the effort may have been. "The solar flares gone. They'll hear you!"
Nevertheless, the Controller didn't give up. She spoke through her immense pain, and the Doctor typed in every symbol and number handed to him. There was a reason why he had been chosen to help. His brain was a valuable tool, and she knew it more than anyone. She could see it in her masters minds.
"No, my masters, no, I defy you!"
Her breaths were sharp and erratic, though she only cried out in pain, and never for any help. Soon, she was gone, without a trace. Only this time, she wouldn't be returning. This would be her end, and it was in the name of the Doctor, and of freedom.
His face became almost that of a whimper. "They took her."
The man just continued. "Look, use that, it might contain the final numbers. I kept a log of all the unscheduled transmissions."
"Nice... thanks." Jack looked him up and down before offering his hand to shake. "Captain Jack Harkness, by the way."
"I'm Davitch Pavale."
"Nice to meet you, Davitch Pavale."
The Doctor shook his head, almost in wonder. "There's a time and a place."
"Are you saying that this whole set-ups been a disguise all along?" The woman speculated.
"Going way back, installing the Jagrafess 100 years ago. Someone's been playing a long game, controlling the human race from behind the scenes for generations."
Jack passed the Doctor a metal object, EJ found it curious to look at. "Click on this." When he did, a screen lit in front of them, revealing space in all its glory. "The transmat delivers to that point, right on the edge of the solar system."
The woman had no sense of awareness. "But there's nothing there."
"It looks like nothing because that's what this satellite does. Underneath the transmission, there's another signal."
Davitch looked blankly at them. "Doing what?"
"Hiding whatever's out there." The Doctor sighed, afraid to let the truth come to them. "Hiding it from sonar, radar, scanner. There's something sitting right on top of planet Earth, but it's completely invisible. If I cancel the signal..."
He looked up again, to find the same space, only this time it was covered in spaceships. It zoomed out to find hundreds of them. They were industrial, and covered by metal. No one spoke at first, as they stared, but the Doctor seemed frozen into his place. However bad it was for everyone else, it was worse for the Doctor. EJ could see it.
"That's impossible." Jack choked out. "I know those ships. They were destroyed."
Like thunder, the Doctor replied. "Obviously they survived."
"Who did?" Lynda pressed. "Who are they?"
"200 ships. More than 2,000 on board each one. That's just about half a million of them."
Davitch sought the answer this time. "Half a million what?"
He was frightened, but he didn't let it show, because it wasn't ever going to leave him. Not ever. "Daleks."
"What?" EJ's lungs contracted, and the air seemed to dissipate from all around him. "No. No, we saw the last one die. We did, Doctor. I was there. We were there. It's dead. It has to be..."
The screen changed as a communications channel opened up. There were three Daleks in view, and EJ's blood ran cold when he saw Rose with them. At first, he was terrified for her, but then he remembered that she was alive. That mattered more than anything. She was still out there for them to find.
The first Dalek spoke to them. "I will talk to the Doctor."
"Oh, will you? That's nice." He waved at them sarcastically. "Hello!"
"The Dalek stratagem nears completion. The fleet is almost ready. You will not intervene."
"Oh, really? Why's that, then?"
"We have your associate. You will obey or she will be exterminated."
"No." The Doctor said, and their heads snapped over to him. His confidence was frightening.
"Explain yourself."
"I said no."
"What is the meaning of this negative?"
The Doctor gritted his teeth and looked the Dalek's dead in the eye-stalk. "It means no."
"But she will be destroyed!"
"No..." He stood with conviction, and EJ did well to hide his smile. "Cos this is what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna rescue her. I'm gonna save Rose Tyler from the middle of the Dalek fleet, and then I'm gonna save the Earth, and then just to finish off, I'm gonna wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky!"
"But you have no weapons, no defences, no plan!"
"Yeah..." The Doctor grinned. "And doesn't that scare you to death? Rose?"
She looked at them, directly, hoping. "Yes, Doctor?"
"I'm coming to get you."
This was more dangerous than anything they had faced yet together, but EJ wasn't sure what they could do. He wanted Rose to be safe, he wanted them all to be safe, and he wanted to go home. He wanted to see his son.
God, EJ wants nothing more then to see Josh again. But then again, there were things he had to do first. They had to stop the Daleks, and then he could hold Josh again. It was just how things worked.
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Disclaimer!!!
I do not own Doctor Who, it's characters and original storylines. The only things I do own are my own characters, my addition to the series and my own storylines. Any similarities to real life are purely coincidental.