Martha, Astrea, Owen and Ianto was still in their circle when the Doctor and Jack approached. "Right, we're heading down to the engines to get them up and running then we're gonna deal with that." Jack said pointing to the hole on the left of the ship.
"Oh! No need, Jacky, that's why I told Ianto to go get my TARDIS; where is it anyway?" Astrea asked. Owen replied by nodding his head over towards the console to where a red phone box sat. The Time Lady looked at it concerned. "Why is it a red phone box?" She asked. "It should have changed to fit into it's surrounds." She walked up to the box and asked, "Why are you a red phone box?" By doing this Mickey looked at her as if she had grown two heads. Astrea heard a hum come from the inside causing her brows to furrow. "What?! Why? Why would you do that?" Another hum came from the inside and the Time Lady let out a sigh. "Fine. Whatever. Be a lazy machine you piece of junk." She strolled on inside and straight to the console; Mickey following to see why she was talking to a phone box.
Once inside Mickey's jaw dropped. He looked around amazed. "Wh-how-you have.. Are you an alien?" He asked.
"Yep." She replied.
"The same as the Doctor?" He continued.
She stopped what she was doing and turned to face him, deciding she should tell him who she is and get him on her side. She extended her hand. "Hello, Mickey Smith, I'm Astrea. A 1098 year old Time Lady from the planet Gallifrey, in the constellation of Kasterborous, 250 million light years away from the Earth. I'm here to help the Xolions and any other species in need." She said at 90 mph.
Mickey just looked at her gobsmacked. He stood silent for a minute before stuttering out, "He-he's not alone. Haha. I can't believe there's another one of his species." He laughed.
Astrea rose an eyebrow. "You're not gonna aim a gun at me?" She asked dragging out the you're. "Threaten me? Drag me back to UNIT? No?"
Mickey just chuckled. "Well, from what I've seen you're good in my eyes and if the Doctor trusts you then I trust you."
"OK. Good to know. Would you mind helping me out here a second?" Astrea asked.
Mickey nodded his head. "Sure. What is it?"
Astrea began to explain, "I need to go get the Hablin Field. Thing is it needs micro-mechanic thexius energy transferred into it and removed as quickly as possible. Too much energy will cause an explosion the size of Africa. Don't need that now do we."
"In English please." Mickey asked.
"Just count to 180 and press that button over there." She pointed to the console before darting off down a corridor.
Once she reached the room that contained the Hablin Field she saw it aglow. She disconnected all the wires in it, quickly, before lifting the small sphere and racing out of the room. She saw Mickey still in the console room waiting for her, walking out together once she approached.
Astrea headed straight towards the console with the Hablin Field and started working on it, Martha, Ianto, Gwen and Owen asking what she was doing and what the sphere was. Tosh spoke up explaining what it is and what it does. "It's called a Hablin Field. It is used as an air shield and gravity shield to keep living organisms alive for a long journey, namely this one. Once the boys have the engines going they can get out of here and go back home with a big gaping hole in the ship."
Astrea took a quick side glance to Tosh. "That's exactly what it is. How did you know that?" She asked.
"Came across one once and did a bit of research on it." She answered.
Astrea nodded and finished tinkering with the console, putting the Hablin Field on it. The small sphere melted into the controls and molded into the circuits of the mother board causing a faint blue colour to shimmer around the ship.
The Doctor and Jack came running into the control room. "Did you see the blue light?" Jack asked.
"Don't worry that was her." Ianto said nodding to Astrea.
"Right. Well. We've got the engines up and running again. All we have to do is get that repaired."
Tosh said, "Astrea has that already sorted. That's what that light was."
"Hablin Field." Astrea spoke.
The Doctor broke out in a grin. "I haven't see one of them in ages. Where did you get it?"
"Found it when I was raiding out an abandoned space ship for some parts." Astrea replied.
The Doctor and Astrea turned their attention to the Xolions and the Queen. "You're ready to fly back home." The Doctor said, approaching them.
"Thank you Doctor, Astrea." The Queen nodded in acknowledgement. She walked forward with a small black box in her hands. She handed it to the Doctor. "This is for you."
The Doctor nodded his head in appreciation. "Thank you." He smiled. "We'll leave you to get on your way."
"See you again, hopefully, your Majesty." Astrea smiled before heading towards the TARDIS.
"Same with you, Time Lords." The Queen smiled to them as the TARDIS door shut behind them and the de-materialization process started.
*********
The Xolions were on their journey back to Fluxairan, Mickey and Martha left and all the Torchwood team made their departure to go back home. Well, all but Jack. He stayed behind with the Time Lords to asked Astrea what she meant earlier on.
Astrea and the Doctor where messing about on the controls, trying to get Sparky to fit into her surroundings again, but to no avail. "Ast, wee question, why hasn't your TARDIS linked to my mind yet? Mine's done so with you but yours hasn't with me."
"I dunno." Astrea replied. "Probably doesn't trust you yet."
"Why won't she trust me? I've been around long enough for her to know I'm harmless." He replied.
"Could be due to the fact that she thinks you're gonna destroy her. I did steal her from a TARDIS scrap yard."
"You stole her from a scrap yard?"
"Yes and why are you still here Jack?" The Time Lords stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
"I have one question to ask you but contemplating on how to say it." Jack said to Astrea.
"Just say it bluntly and get it over and done with. I would like to go to bed, if you don't mind." Astrea said then turned to the console.
Jack and the Doctor share a knowing look before Jack asked, "What did you mean that you seen several species' get wiped out for no apparent reason?"
At those words Astrea froze on her spot. "Did I say that?" She asked. "I didn't mean to. Slip of the tongue. Forget anything I said." She spoke. "Well, I'm tired. Night." She then bolted down a corridor and to hers and the Doctor's room. Meanwhile Jack and the Doctor stayed in the console room, taken aback by her actions.
"She's hiding something." Jack said. "Something...dark."
"Or something personal. Not wanting to talk about it or mention it." The Doctor suggested.
"It's killing you isn't it? Her mysterious past?" Jack asked. "Just wanting to find out what is hidden."
"Yea. Don't get me wrong I do respect her as a woman and her privacy but it's a bit maddening trying to not question it." The Doctor replied.
"For you I say it would be." Jack laughed. "Well, I'll head on and let you get back to your mystery girl." Jack smiled walking out.
The Doctor let out a sigh once he left and put Astrea's TARDIS into flight. He walked down to their room and saw Astrea, still fully dressed, staring blankly at the ceiling. "I'll be back in a few minutes, Ast, just gonna take the Pond's home."
"Tell 'em I said I'll see ya later." She replied. The Doctor nodded then left heading to his own TARDIS.
Once he entered he saw the Pond's up and about. "Finally!" Amy exclaimed. "We've been waiting here for hours."
"You do know you are welcome aboard Ast's TARDIS anytime." The Doctor said heading to the console.
"Yes we know but it's still a bit weird. Two TARDISes? How do you cope?" Rory asked.
"Alternate between them." He replied, sending Sexy to Amy and Rory's house. The TARDIS landed with a thud and emitted a low hum. "There we are. Home sweet home. When will I be picking you up?" He asked.
"Give us about three or four months." Rory replied.
"See you then. And Ast says see ya later." The Doctor said to them.
"Tell her right back at ya." Amy replied. "See ya, Doctor." She called back then left. The only people remaining between the two TARDISes were him and Astrea.
The Doctor walked back to their room on Sparky and Astrea was sprawled out over the bed, fast asleep. The Doctor shook her trying to wake her up but she just groaned and put a pillow over her head. The Time Lord shook his head and went to get changed. Once he came back he saw Astrea had curled up into a ball on her side of the bed so he pulled the covers from underneath her and put them over her before crawling into bed himself, wrapping his arms around Astrea's waist and pulling her to his chest, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.
***Next Day***
The two Time Lords woke up with a start. They were flung out of bed and onto the floor, due to the TARDIS hurtling out of control. Once everything was still The Doctor quickly got changed and they both bolted to the console room and to the doors. The Doctor swung them open to be greated with a barren land. Nothing to be seen for miles on end. They looked ahead, right then left and that's when they froze up. Fear sweeping over Astrea and shock cloaking the Doctor. In front of them was none other than...
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The Master.