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Vancouver Island, 13th December 1983
Jo took a deep breath as they reached the top of the ridge. "Come on, keep up."
"You try keeping up when you're carrying half the West End of Vancouver on your back. Do the words 'travel light' mean anything to you?"
"Awww, a big strong man like you? I'll bet you barely notice it."
"Would you notice if I dropped it on your toes?" Jack stretched as best he could. "Not that you're not worth the effort."
Smiling, Jo took his hand and they walked on in companionable silence for a moment, just enjoying the beauty of the forest around them. Mind-bogglingly huge trees stretched upwards, bark twisting and roots rising above Jo's head.
"A bit better than the office, eh?" Jack asked, nudging her with an elbow.
"Much." She grinned. "And the company's better too."
They stopped to make camp an hour before dusk. It felt strange, being out here with Jack when she was so used to coming with her family. The forest smelt of damp earth following the last rain shower, taking her back to camping trips and long days spent tramping through the woodlands and alongside lakes. She'd practically grown up in places like this.
So she hadn't expected Jack to know what he was doing out here. Watching him set up the tent, tying knots and driving in pegs, she supposed she shouldn't have been surprised. They'd only ever met in the city before now, working their way through the bars and restaurants of Vancouver whenever he passed her way. She associated Jack with streets and cities, the high life and sophistication. Seeing him so comfortable and natural in this setting reminded her of how little she really knew about him.
"You know, last time I checked, this wasn't a spectator sport."
Jerking back to the present, Jo took the offered mallet with a smile. "Oh, I don't know. Depends how often you bend over."
They got the tent up without incident and Jack unpacked the small gas stove.
"That's it," Jo said, sitting down in the doorway of the tent. "I refuse to believe that you were never a boy scout."
"Well, I am always prepared," he replied, waggling his eyebrows at her.
She laughed. "Glad to hear it."
They ate in companionable silence, listening to the woods around them, the cries of birds and animals and the constant background rustle of branches and leaves.
"Do you think we're going to find anything?" Jo asked as they were clearing away.
"I hope so. I don't want to have dragged you all the way out here for nothing."
"Over that last ridge, I think I was the one doing the dragging," Jo said with a smile. "And I don't mind. I spend too much time in the office."
"You miss the field?" Jack was drying the plates, watching her in the growing gloom. She shrugged.
"I like my job. Lots of gadgets to play with and people to actually listen to me. But sometimes, it's nice to remember what I joined UNIT for. It wasn't to investigate the contents of my desk every day."
"Scientific advisor's an important job," Jack said evenly, putting the plates away.
"I know. But it's nice to remember there's a world beyond the four walls of my office and one that I used to get to visit occasionally." Reaching out, Jo pulled one of the files from a bag, retrieving a torch from another pocket to read it by. "And it's one where strange things happen."
"Usually. Haven't you got those papers memorised by now?" Jack leaned over to put the bags inside the tent, then sat down next to her, reading over her shoulder.
"Almost. But seismology's not usually my thing so I want to be sure. And I'm a little worried."
"Why?"
"Well, you've been back for three days already, we've been looking at these reports for two and you haven't once made a crack about the earth moving." She looked up at him. "What do you see that I don't?"
He gave a little huff of laughter, his breath cloudy in the chilly air. "I'm not sure. But it's got me interested enough to come halfway across the world to check it out."
"And there's me thinking you just missed my company."
He laughed properly this time, taking the folder and torch from her and throwing them into the tent next to the bag.
"Now," he said, lifting her face towards his, "what were you saying about the earth moving?"
They set off just after dawn the next day. Tired from all the exercise, Jo slept deeply, only stirring when Jack got up to relight the stove and make some breakfast.
"Do you ever sleep?" she asked him as they set off north again.
"When I have to." He half-smiled at her, but his eyes were on the forest, watching for only he knew what.
They walked on for another few hours before Jo had to call a stop, gratefully shedding her pack and gloves and pulling out a bottle of water and the maps. She watched as Jack paced the clearing, peering round trees and kicking at the undergrowth.
"Are you looking for bears?" she asked, smiling. "Or Hobbits, maybe?"
"Hobbit?" Jack frowned. "What kind of an animal is that?"
"Never mind." She shook her head. "Water?"
He took the bottle, his eyes still drifting past her, as though expecting something to jump out at them any minute.
"For heaven's sake," Jo said, "sit down! You're making me dizzy."
"Sorry." He dropped to the ground next to her, passing the water bottle back. "How much further?"
Running her eye across the map, Jo said, "About another mile or so, probably. Our scanners can't be too precise."
"I thought you guys had figured out how to use all your salvaged junk."
"We would have if most of it wasn't, in fact, junk." Jo sighed. "One day, an alien is going to throw away something that still works."
"But until then, you're just going to have to go on fixing things."
"Fixing them, jury-rigging them, dismantling them, swearing at them."
"Does that work?"
"Sure, when they're voice activated."
Jack laughed, some of the tension in his face easing. "I'll have to remember that next time something conks out on me."
They listened to the forest for a while, although Jo was sure Jack was listening for something much less benign than just the local wildlife.
"What are we looking for, Jack?" she asked, watching his eyes narrow as he thought.
"Technology of some kind. Something advanced, something powerful. Who knows?" He turned to her, with that smile that made him look like an excited ten-year-old boy. "Could be anything."
Unable to resist, Jo reached out and ruffled his hair. "And what do we do when we find it, O fount of knowledge?"
"Shut it down." Face clouding over, Jack got to his feet, stowing the water bottle away and picking up his pack again. "We should get moving."
She let him pull her to her feet and help her on with her bag, trailing after him as they moved on through the forest. It was hard, trying to remember what he'd been like last time he'd visited. Four years ago now, it had to be, and he'd been just the same as always, all knowing looks and mischievous smiles and that irresistible charm that overrode her better judgement every time.
He still looked the same - no different to when she'd first met him ten years ago - but there was something new this time. Even out here, she could see it in the way he walked, the way his head turned from side to side, trying to cover all the angles at once. It had been there when she'd met him from the airport, in his subdued conversation over dinner and the urgency of the three nights they'd spent together.
Staring at the back of his head, lost in thought, she hit the ground before she even realised she'd tripped. Her shout of surprise made Jack turn and hurry over to help.
"You alright?"
"Peachy."
He lifted her pack so that she could sit up, brushing some of the leaves out of her hair. She grinned. "Well, that was dignified."
"Nothing broken?"
"Bruised pride only, I promise." Taking the offered hand, she got to her feet, still shaking her head. "You realise that it's all your fault?"
"Mine?" He kept hold of one of her hands as they set off again.
"If you weren't so damn cryptic..."
"You were thinking about me?" He smiled down at her. "I'm touched. But you could just ask. Might be less painful."
"Would I get an answer?"
"Depends on the question."
"See what I mean?"
Jack opened his mouth to reply, then stopped, staring over Jo's head and frowning. "What the..." He let go of her hand, heading off at right angles to the trail they'd been following. Grumbling about mysterious men in big coats, Jo followed, picking her way more carefully.
Between the trees up ahead, she caught a glimpse of something metallic. Increasing her pace a little, she caught up with Jack as he reached the object. In twelve years with UNIT, Jo had seen a lot of strange things, but this had to rank in the top five.
"What is it?" she asked, a little breathless from haste and surprise.
"A controller," Jack told her, running his hands over the surface. The object resembled a misshapen lectern, with a three foot high stand supporting a large, sloping console. The surface was covered in buttons and dials, some of which were glowing.
"What does it control?" With a glance at Jack for permission, Jo ran her fingers over the console. It felt warm to her touch. "Where's it getting the power from? Batteries?"
"I don't think so." Crouching down, Jack pulled some of the low-growing plants aside. "It's just been stuck in the ground, which means it must have a remote power source."
"A remote source? Like, with wires or something?"
"I don't think the people who made this need wires." Jack had taken his pack off, rummaging in it for something. After a moment, he pulled out his Webley. "Let's not take any chances."
Jo pulled her own rucksack off, removing her gun and holster from a side pocket and taking off her jacket to put them on as Jack shoved the bags under an arching tree root.
"The console will face the power source," he said, "and it can't be too far. Ready?"
"Ready." Jo left her coat undone, to give her better access to the weapon under her left arm. "If you know what made this," she said as they set off, "now would be a good time to tell me."
"Not what. Who."
"You recognised the technology?" Moving as carefully as she could, Jo tried to keep half her attention on the forest and the other half on Jack. His face was blank and unreadable.
"I recognised it," he confirmed, his voice carefully emotionless.
"Well?"
"It can't be them."
"Who?" The sounds of the forest seemed much less welcoming now, increasing Jo's jumpiness. "Jack, tell me!"
He shook his head. "The name won't help you, but they should look human. If it's them."
"Which it can't be. Great."
Jo could have sworn that she was looking just as closely as Jack, trying to penetrate the thick undergrowth and peer round trees. Still, it was Jack who saw it first, touching her shoulder and pointing up ahead.
"Found it." He led the way slowly towards it, while Jo continued to scan their surroundings. Now would be the perfect time for an ambush.
"What is it?" she asked, coming to stand next to Jack in front of their new find. She'd long ago learned not to judge alien objects by their appearance, so the fact that this resembled nothing so much as a huge, free-standing hot tub didn't bother her. Instead of water, this one had a cover, a semi-spherical, ridged surface with an obvious join in the middle. Shifting her assessment, Jo decided that it looked like an enormous eye, held in a hexagonal box.
It had to be the source that Jack had been talking about; she could feel the thrum of power coming from it. Realising that he still hadn't answered her question, she looked up at him, only to have the words stick in her throat.
Jack's face was glowing. Not metaphorically, although his expression was that of absolute rapture as he stared at the strange object. His skin gave off a golden light that danced and sparkled in the dappled forest shade. Sensing her stare, he turned, frowning at her astonished expression.
Wordlessly, she reached over and pulled one of his gloves off, lifting his hand so he could see. To her surprise, he smiled and said,
"Well, that pretty much confirms it."
Before she could ask what he meant, there was a shout from behind her.
"Put the weapons on the ground!"
They both looked up, startled. Jo could see figures moving in the trees and the glint of sunlight on metal. Looking past her, Jack called back,
"You first!"
Apparently unimpressed, the voice repeated the instruction.
"Put the weapons on the ground."
The shapes began to emerge from the shadows. As Jack had said, they looked human, dressed in red and white uniforms that looked more ceremonial than functional, but carrying weapons that looked deadly serious.
"Jack?" Jo asked quietly, hoping he knew what to do. Apparently he did, because he reached under his coat, slowing his movements as eight blasters swung towards him.
"Easy," he said, pulling out his gun between thumb and forefinger. "I'm obeying." He dropped the gun on the ground, indicating for Jo to do the same. They moved aside as two of their captors came over to retrieve the weapons.
Turning, Jo saw the man who had to be in charge. His uniform had extra insignia on the shoulders and a white sash was slung across his chest.
"Who are you?" he asked, putting his blaster away.
"Would you believe hikers?" Jack asked.
"A hiker who just happens to stumble across this place and who just happens to be time sensitive? What kind of a hiker carries a gun?"
"A nervous one," Jack replied, his voice calm and all his attention focussed on the man. Someone shouted from the other side of the clearing, making Jo jump.
"Major! We found these."
Jo watched in dismay as their packs were carried into the clearing and dumped at the Major's feet.
"We'll go through them back at base. Bring them," he pointed from the bags to Jack and Jo, "and them along."
Jo spent most of the walk to the base trying to figure out more about their captors. All men, all young apart from the Major, all wearing the same determined expression under their red and white helmets.
"Who are they?"
"Gallifreyans." He glanced at her. "See, I told you it wouldn't mean anything to you."
"It does to you though, doesn't it?"
Jack nodded slowly, looking down at his hand again. Now they were further away from the strange object, his skin was no longer glowing although there was still something distant about his expression.
"Are they the bad guys?" Jo asked.
"They're not supposed to be."
They came to a stop in a clearing with another of the strange consoles sprouting out of the ground. Jo was sure that she'd run out of energy to be surprised for the day, right up to the moment when the Major walked into a tree. A door opened in the base of the trunk and he stepped inside, disappearing from sight. Jo clutched Jack's arm.
"Please tell me you saw that."
"At least someone's chameleon circuit works," Jack muttered, patting her hand absently. "I saw it. Try to stay with me here."
"You're not making it easy," she threw back, as they were herded towards one of the trees. Jack pushed her behind him as they reached it, not doing much for Jo's fears. If something was going to happen, she wanted to see it coming. After a moment, the air around them shimmered and a low hum started up.
Peering round Jack, Jo saw what looked like a small, blue stone lying on the ground, glowing gently.
"Forcefield," Jack said shortly, stepping away from her.
"Doesn't that take a lot of power?" she asked, going over to crouch next to the stone. Jack gave a short, sharp laugh, sliding down the tree to sit on the ground.
"They've got all the power they need and some left over. I think it'll run that thing for a while."
"Is this the part where I get some answers?" Jo asked, turning to him and making herself as comfortable as she could on the leaf cover.
"Depends on the questions." Eyes closed, Jack was leaning his head back against the tree, his arms resting lightly on his raised knees. "I mean, if you're looking for a lesson in quantum mechanics, I'm probably not your guy. But ask away."
"Where's the power coming from?"
Jack opened his eyes, surprised. "You want to start there?" He shrugged. "Fine. That thing we found just now?"
"The one that made you glow?"
"That's it. It's called an Eye of Harmony. It's a power source. A tremendously powerful power source, producing virtually limitless amounts of energy."
"Is it nuclear?" Jo asked, making Jack laugh again.
"No. Hell, no." He shook his head. "You're going to have to think a hell of a lot bigger than that."
"A fusion reactor?"
"Bigger than that." When she didn't answer, Jack went on, "It draws its power from a black hole."
"How?"
"Damned if I know." He looked away, surveying the clearing again. "I just know that it does."
"Oh." Blinking hard, Jo tried to process the information. "So there's this limitless supply of power, feeding into this Eye of Harmony thing. What does it do?" Jack looked back at her, his expression strangely guarded. Exasperated, Jo said, "Jack, I'm not an idiot and I'm not a child. You don't have to go easy on me here. What does it do?"
"It powers their spaceships, among other things."
"Spaceships?"
"That tree over there?" When Jo turned to look, Jack went on, "That's one of their ships. It's called a TARDIS."
"TARDIS?" Jo repeated, staring at the tree. "They make ships that look like trees? Wait, hang on a sec." She shook her head, remembering what he'd said before. "Chameleon...something...wasn't it? Like a disguise?"
"Impressively remembered," Jack said wryly. "Spot on."
"But still, the ship's going to be a bit small isn't it? I mean, these trees are big, but not that big."
"Ah, yes, transdimensional engineering. Another area I'm totally unqualified in. You're just going to have to take my word for this one." Jack shifted closer, so he was sitting right behind her. "TARDISes are bigger on the inside."
"Bigger than what?"
"Than the outside."
Jo opened her mouth. Then she closed her mouth. Then she opened it again, taking a deep breath. "Really?"
"Really."
"Right." Not quite sure what to do with this piece of information, she settled for accepting it and moving on. "How do they do that?"
"They're not saying. Something to do with it being dimensionally transcendental."
"Sounds plausible to me." Jo grinned over her shoulder at him. "But right now I don't think there's anything I wouldn't believe."
"That may be a good thing."
"There's more?"
"Always." Jack moved round so that she could see his face. "The people who own these ships-"
"Gallifeyas?"
"Gallifreyans," he corrected, "they don't exist. Not anywhere, not anywhen. Not any more."
Jo closed her eyes. "Run that by me again."
"They're fighting a war, one that's for the control of time itself."
"And they lose?"
"Not exactly. They win, but they destroy themselves along with their enemy. So they shouldn't be here. They were wiped out of space and time."
"But they're here, Jack." Jo waved a hand. "They're setting up black holes, landing their spaceships and using their technology right here and now. How?"
"I don't know. If I had to guess, I'd say they were creating a kind of bubble in time, using the Eye of Harmony, to exist outside time somehow while they do whatever it is they're doing." Jack's eyes fell and he prodded at the leaves beneath them with the toe of his boot. "I doubt it's anything good. Not for the Earth, anyway."
They were silent for a while, as Jo tried to think. Her head was spinning and she was frightened, confused and bewildered. She'd spent years working with extra-terrestrial technology, picking up the scraps that had been left behind, and now, here she was, face to face with real life aliens. She'd never been so exhilarated. Catching Jack's eye, she gave him a hesitant smile.
"So what do we do now?"
Before he could answer, the door in the tree opened and the Major re-emerged, heading out into the forest in the direction of the Eye. A moment later a younger man also came through the door, wearing long brown robes and a serious expression. He didn't even glance in Jo and Jack's direction, going straight over to the console and starting to press buttons.
Jack got to his feet. "Hey!" he shouted. The man didn't flinch, just continued turning dials and pulling levers. "Hey!" Jack yelled again, reaching out to touch the forcefield, sending out a shower of sparks. He pulled his hand back quickly, shaking it a little.
"You'll only hurt yourself," the man at the console said, without turning round.
"You can't do this," Jack said. "You're putting the whole planet at risk."
Instead of replying, the robed man touched something on his chest. "Major, are you ready?"
The guard's voice was distorted by the radio. "Ready, my Lord."
Jack grabbed Jo's arm, pulling her close to him and bracing his back against the tree.
"What the-" Before she could complete the question, the young man pressed something on the console and the ground began to shake.
It started slowly, just a gentle trembling that moved some of the leaves on the ground and sent a few pine needles falling into Jo's hair. Then the motion grew, bringing down bigger twigs and a whole branch from one of the trees across the clearing. The earth bucked and rolled under Jo's feet and she clutched at Jack's arm, trying to stay upright. A final jerk made them both stumble, crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Jack pressed himself down onto her, planting his hands firmly so that neither of them were thrown into the forcefield.
The motion stopped as suddenly as it had started, leaving Jo breathless. She was acutely aware of the musty, earthy smell coming from the disturbed ground beneath her, the hum of the forcefield around them and Jack's warm body against hers. It was comforting and secure and she didn't want him to let go.
"Well," he said conversationally, "I guess that answers the earthquake question." He laughed, a brief, warm breath in her ear, then he picked himself up, brushing leaves from his greatcoat. Jo sat up, rolling her neck and shoulders to ease some of the tension.
"Who are you?"
She turned, startled, to see the robed man standing beside the forcefield generator. For all that he seemed to be at least ten years younger than her, there was a weariness in his face that belonged to a much older man. The look in his eyes, she realised, reminded her of Jack. His gaze passed over her, settling on Jack, who stared back.
"We're no threat to you," Jack said softly. "But you shouldn't be here."
"This is none of your business. It's none of UNIT's business." Seeing their surprise, he added, "You had your papers in your bag."
Jo shrugged. "Next time I'm going to be kidnapped by aliens, I'll remember to leave my ID at home."
Their captor wasn't to be deterred. "What does UNIT want here?"
"You're causing three or four earthquakes a day and you're seriously asking me that?" Jo got to her feet. She was nearly as tall as the man, easily looking him in the eye. "Even for this region, that's weird. If you were hoping to disguise them, the game's up."
"That's all?" he asked. "Just the earthquakes?"
"You can't disguise them much longer," Jack said, in the same quiet tone he'd used before. "And we won't be the only ones who notice. You're risking the safety of this whole planet. For what?"
"My people's survival." With a last long look at them, the man turned and walked away, disappearing back into the not-tree spaceship.
Jo turned to Jack. "Would a 'what the hell' be appropriate at this point?"
"He thinks he can change what happened. Stop the Time Lords from being wiped out." He shook his head.
"Can he?"
"I've no idea. They're probably developing a weapon of some kind. But if he's generating enough power for that kind of earthquake, it's enough to get him noticed, and not by the good guys."
"Who are the bad guys?"
When Jack turned to her, the look in his eyes made her shiver. "Daleks."
"We beat the Daleks," she replied, ignoring his sarcastic smile. "Several times. We always beat them."
"You had help," Jack said bitterly. "And they were just scouting parties. I'm talking about the main Dalek fleet coming to tear the Earth apart. They won't hesitate to do it. I've seen-" He broke off, looking away.
"What have you seen, Jack?" Coming closer, Jo laid a hand on his arm. "What happened?"
He didn't look at her as he spoke. "I saw planets ripped apart. I saw people just fade away in front of my eyes because their planets had been exterminated," he spat the word, "from time and space. I heard people screaming as they died." He closed his eyes. "It is not going to happen here."
"How do we stop them? In case you hadn't noticed, we're not exactly in a position to do anything about it."
Jack looked down at her, his expression shifting from grief-stricken to calculating so quickly that it frightened her. "How much do you trust me?"
"How much do I need to?"
Instead of answering, he lifted her face towards his, cradling it in his hands. He hadn't put his gloves back on and his touch was cold enough to make her shiver.
"I can get you out of here," he said softly, "but you're going to have to trust me. Completely. Can you do that?"
She looked up at him, trying to see past his earnest expression, to feel something other than the touch of his skin against hers and the proximity of their bodies. She'd learned more about him in the past hour than in the past ten years, including the fact that there was a hell of a lot more left to come. His intensity had frightened her as much as his certainty reassured her and she was scared out of her wits as to what it meant, not just for her, but for the whole human race.
Her head spun at the thought. The whole human race. Depending on her to do something, to make sure that the nightmares stayed just dreams and the planet didn't crumble to dust underneath them. It was too much, too fast, and she closed her eyes, fighting back the nausea. Then Jack's hands tightened around her face, holding her up and supporting her. She opened her eyes again, meeting his worried gaze.
"I can do that," she said, smiling as he bent to kiss her forehead.
"You're going to be fine. Come on. We don't want them to see this." Taking her hand, he led her towards the tree, sitting and pulling her down so that she was cradled against him, her back to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking his right hand under her coat.
"Do you really think this is the time?" she asked, feeling self-conscious despite the comfort of the close contact.
"It's always the time, but, for once, not what I had in mind. Try not to talk too much." His hand pressed more closely into her side for a moment. "Put your hand on mine." When she obeyed, he went on, "Do you feel the wristband? There's a catch underneath. Take it off and I'll put it on your wrist."
"Okay." Slightly awkwardly, Jo obeyed, pulling his sleeve back and fumbling with the catch, hoping her coat was thick enough to disguise the movement. "What is it?"
"Amongst other things, it can act as a frequency jammer. If you can cut off the signal from one of the consoles to the Eye, it'll set them back a while."
Jo winced as he caught her skin in the buckle. "Where does that get us? And, ouch."
"Sorry." Loosening the strap, he said, "It gives me time to talk to them, convince them not to do this."
"That's it? Talk to them?"
"If you have a better suggestion, now's the time."
She shook her head, leaning into him. The wristband felt heavy and hot against her arm. "Do you really think you can convince them to just go away? I mean, you can be pretty persuasive, but even so."
"Only pretty persuasive?" He chuckled a little, the movement rocking her in his arms. "You ain't seen nothing yet."
"Fine." Unable to help herself, Jo smiled a little as well before turning serious. "So what do I do?"
"There's a digital oscilloscope built in. Put the band on the console, use the buttons next to the screen to adjust the signals so that they're aligned. Then press the button on the far left."
"And then?"
"Run." He squeezed her waist, stifling the objections. "You have to. I'll be fine. But you need to get to safety. Because if this doesn't work and the Daleks do come, someone has to be waiting for them. Got it?"
"Frequency. Jamming. Running. Got it." She looked up. "Hang on, doesn't this all kind of depend on my actually getting to the console?"
"I was hoping you'd notice that." At Jack's nudging, Jo got to her feet, shaking her coat sleeve down so that it covered the wristband. "These forcefields have a design flaw," Jack said, nodding to the small blue stone. "They give you a bit of a nasty shock if you touch them, but they're designed as a prison, not an execution tool."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that if you stay in contact with them for long enough, they're programmed to shut down so they don't kill you."
Jo's mouth fell open. "Stay in contact with it? Jack, you're talking about electrocuting yourself."
"I'll be fine," he told her firmly. "You remember when I asked you to trust me?"
She shook her head. "I thought you were talking about doing what you said. Not running away while you try to kill yourself."
"The one thing I can promise you," he said, "is that I'm not going to die. It's going to hurt, probably quite a lot, but I'll live. I swear."
Something in his voice killed her next objection. He sounded so absolutely sure that it was impossible to argue. And so she nodded, swallowing hard.
"Fine. But don't expect me to watch."
He smiled gently, reaching out and pulling her into a tight hug. "You're going to be alright. Just follow the advice that my first CO gave to me."
"What was that?" Jo asked, her voice muffled by his coat.
"Hit hard. Run fast. Don't get caught."
She laughed, releasing some of the tension, although her stomach still felt as though it was being tied in knots. Taking half a step away, she looked up at him, trying to smile. He stooped to kiss her, warm and gentle pressure on her lips before he drew back again.
"See you in hell." He let her go, taking one step backwards, then another. Then he spread his arms out and just...fell.
Despite what she'd said, Jo couldn't take her eyes from him. The forcefield sent out a shower of sparks and Jack's body twitched as the first jolts hit him. It was bright enough to make her shade her eyes, taking a step away as the hum of power became a whine. Jack hadn't made a sound, not a cry or a shout as the power ripped through him. There was the smell of burning and she finally turned aside, not wanting to see any more. She concentrated on the slight shimmer in the air, watching as it flickered and sputtered. Eventually, it blinked away, giving her a clear view of the guards running in her direction.
She didn't look back. She didn't want to see what had happened. Right now, she had to trust Jack, trust that he really did know what he was talking about.
It was hard to sprint on the soft, mulchy surface and her feet sent leaves flying into the air as she ran as fast as she could, concentrating on not falling over. She was concentrating so hard that she nearly didn't see the guard step out from behind a tree root, blocking her path. A flash of red and white caught her eye – had no-one told these people about camouflage? – then she was on top of him, barrelling into him and bearing them both to the ground. Her last combat training had been years ago, but there were some things it paid not to forget.
Hit hard. Run fast. Don't get caught.
She was on her feet again almost at once, jumping over the stunned man and tearing off into the forest again. She could hear shouting behind her as she dodged round tree roots and pushed back branches, with twigs and leaves catching in her hair and whipping at her legs. After a few more breathless minutes, she slowed a fraction, listening for signs of pursuit. The shouting was coming from further away now and she felt safe enough to drop down to a walk, stretching her cramping muscles. Coming to a stop next to a massive tree root, she leaned against it, trying to focus. She was fairly sure that she'd run in more or less a straight line, which put the base, and Jack – although she wasn't going to think about that now – behind her. That meant that the other consoles were also behind her, assuming they were arranged around the Eye of Harmony.
Closing her eyes, she tried to hear past the rushing of blood in her ears and her rapid breathing. Away to her right, she could hear voices and the rustling of men pushing through the undergrowth. Gently, she let her head rest against the tree bark, feeling the rough, cool surface against her hot skin. Under the wristband, her arm was clammy and she could feel sweat trickling down her back. Her stomach clenched, and she fought back the nausea that she knew was just a reaction to her frantic sprinting. At last, reluctantly, she opened her eyes again, blinking a little to clear her vision. The sounds of movement were still coming from her right, louder than they'd been before she'd stopped. Time to get going.
Every lesson her father had ever taught her ran through Jo's mind as she moved through the forest again, desperately hoping that she was going in the right direction. Tips like always have spare batteries for your flashlight and a good knife is no good if it's blunt weren't really helping very much, but she could almost hear his voice in her mind, comforting and grounding her. He wouldn't have been impressed at her compact gas stove, she knew. They'd always had to build their own fires on family camping trips; Dad had been a purist when it came to these things.
She realised she was drifting, getting lost in her own thoughts again and not paying nearly enough attention to where she was going. Crouching down next to a large bush, she forced herself to think. Breaking a stick from the plant, she began to sketch a rough map in the dirt, thinking hard. She couldn't be sure of exact directions, but she was sure that she'd headed north from the alien base camp. Her momentary lapse in concentration meant that she couldn't be sure whether she was still walking north exactly, but she was sure that what she needed had to be to her south. All she needed to do now was pick a direction.
"Thanks, Dad," she muttered, getting to her feet and undoing her watchstrap. It was hard to see the sun through the tree cover, but the shadows on the ground gave her a reasonable idea of where it was. Turning the watch, and herself, she lined up the hour hand with the sun, noticing as she did so that it was only midmorning. At least that gave her plenty of hours of light to play with. Her father's voice was still loud in her head.
"Bisect the angle between the twelve and the hour hand and that's south. If you're in the northern hemisphere, that is. If you don't know which hemisphere you're in, then you're really lost."
Grinning, Jo pocketed the watch, raising her face to the sky and snapping off a quick salute before striking out to the south.
She'd covered more ground than she'd realised and it took her nearly half an hour to find what she was looking for. It would have been less, but she kept having to duck behind bushes and hide behind trees to avoid patrols. There was a definite advantage to wearing dark colours, she decided, as another red-and-white-clad guard passed within twenty feet of her hiding place.
At last, she got a glimpse of something pale and metallic, glinting in the sun. She carefully made her way towards it, staying close to the trees and keeping as low as she could for as long as possible. The forest floor here was covered in large ferns, providing plenty of cover as she crawled carefully towards the console.
Sitting up, she unstrapped Jack's wristband, wiping at the damp skin of her arm and shivering a little as it made contact with the cold air. Getting to her feet, she put the wristband on the top of the console, lifting the small cover so that she could see the frequency monitor. She breathed a sigh of relief at seeing the two waves oscillating across the screen. Carefully, she began to press the tiny buttons, watching the signals gradually move closer together.
She was concentrating so hard that the man was only a few feet from her when she heard him. Stiffening, she didn't take her eyes from the screen.
"Move away from the console." The man's voice was calm and firm, and she didn't doubt that he had his blaster pointed at her. Still looking at the screen, she saw that the two waves were finally aligned. Apart from standing a little more upright, she hadn't moved, her hands still resting lightly on the console, either side of the wristband. She jumped a little when the guard spoke again. "I said, move away from the console." This time, the instruction was accompanied by an electronic whine. Jo had handled enough alien weapons to know what the sound meant.
Moving very slowly, she lifted her hands, bringing them together above the wristband. It looked so strange, the battered brown leather against the shiny metal surface of the console. Taking a deep breath, she double checked that the two lines were still moving together. Then she brought her finger down on the jamming button.
The world drifted from black to light and into colour, exploding sparks inside Jo's head. Distantly, she was aware of her body, aching and sore, being bumped and jerked around. Despite the fuzziness in her head, she knew she'd been shot with a stun weapon; she'd felt like this before. Last time, though, Jack had been there to catch her.
"How do you feel?" There was a definitely worried edge to his smile.
"I'm fine." Her words were slurred, but she managed to sit up. "I didn't realise it would hurt so much."
"I think it's to discourage people." He helped her from the floor onto a bench against the wall. "You realise I could get fired for what I just did?"
"I asked you to."
Taking a seat next to her, Jack put an arm round her shoulders, drawing her to him. He felt warm and solid, a counterpoint to the spinning in her head. "I'm still not sure I understand why."
She shrugged, the movement sending flashes of pain down her back. "I wanted to know what it was like. And no-one else would shoot me. Thanks."
Jack laughed, hugging her more tightly. "Anytime."
It was strange, but she could hear Jack's voice again, coming from a very long way away. At first, she thought she was imagining it again. Then she realised she was no longer moving and there was a damp, soft surface beneath her. Struggling to full consciousness, she followed the sound of Jack's voice.
"You have to stop this."
He sounded uncomfortable, strained. Jo blinked her eyes open, squinting in the sunlight. With a groan of effort, she rolled herself over, trying to lift her head. Blearily, she managed to focus on Jack.
Jack, who was standing in the middle of the clearing, a blaster held in his left hand, while his right hung awkwardly at his side. His face, shining with perspiration, was pale and waxy. For all that his expression was twisted with effort, the blaster didn't waver from its target: the young, robed man who'd questioned them earlier.
No-one was paying any attention to Jo, who finally managed to sit up by bracing herself against a tree. Her arms and legs felt heavy, from the after effects of the stun blast and sheer panic. Every other weapon in the clearing was pointed at Jack which was of little comfort right at this moment. The robed man was talking quietly and she had to strain to hear him.
"It's our only chance. Would you stand by and just let yourself be wiped out of existence?"
"That's not the choice." Jack's voice was gentle, pleading. "You're talking about wiping out the Daleks. Surely that's worth something?"
The man laughed. It was the sound of someone who had already faced the worst that the universe had to offer. There was no trace of fear in his face. "We've no guarantee of that at the moment. We can't even get this damn thing to work."
Jack hesitated, then took a step closer, apparently oblivious to the guns trained on him. "What if I could tell you how to make it work?"
"What?" For the first time, a flicker of emotion passed across the young man's face. "What do you know about this?"
"I've travelled," Jack said simply, coming to within arm's reach. "You'd be surprised what I know. Who I know."
Something passed between them that Jo couldn't see. Apparently oblivious to the rest of the world, Jack nodded, just a fraction and the young man – Time Lord, Jo belatedly realised – narrowed his eyes. Then, slowly and carefully, the Time Lord reached out and put his right hand to the side of Jack's head. Jack's eyelids fluttered for a moment, then his eyes closed and he lowered the blaster. As some of the tension in his shoulders relaxed, the other man stepped closer, bringing his left hand up, cradling Jack's head. Neither of them moved for a long moment.
Jo felt as though all her senses had gone into overdrive, letting her hear the rustle of every leaf, the shuffling feet of the nervous men around her, the bead of perspiration that started in her hairline and was working its way down her cheek. She wanted to do something, to move, shout, do anything to break the paralysing tension. Her vision was swimming and her breath came in rough pants. Just when she thought she was going to pass out again, the robed man opened his eyes, and Jack took a deep, cleansing breath, stumbling backwards a step.
She was on her feet almost before she knew what she was doing, fighting the black spots at the edge of her vision as she hurried towards Jack, catching his arm and making him turn towards her.
"Are you alright?" she gasped, feeling him grasp her shoulder and not quite knowing who was holding who up.
He nodded, frowning as he focussed on her. "Are you?"
"I will be. What just happened?"
Before Jack could answer, hands grabbed at Jo, pulling her away from him and holding her arms behind her back.
"Let them go." The Time Lord was leaning on the console, one hand against his head. "I said, let them go!" he snapped, glaring at the guards.
"Thank you." Reaching out with his good hand, Jack pulled Jo to him, hugging her tightly. Then he released her, looking over her head at the Time Lord. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
The other man shook his head, smiling bitterly. "It's hardly your fault. We had our chances before, but we were never brave enough to take them." He gave a snort of laughter. "I guess we'll just have to find our courage."
"He's out there," Jack said softly. "Go find him."
Nodding, the Time Lord stood upright, gesturing to the guards. "Bring their bags from the TARDIS. Then start removal procedures. I want to be away from here before dark." He held out a hand to Jack, who released Jo so that he could take it.
"Thank you." Jack shook his head. "It's hardly enough, but thank you. From all of us. For what you're about to do."
"For what we did." Smiling with something like genuine amusement this time, the Time Lord said, "Time is relative, remember?"
"Always."
The walk back to civilisation was taking much longer than the walk into the forest had done. Jack was still limping heavily and, at Jo's insistence, his right arm was strapped to his chest. They'd ditched all the non-essentials from the packs, including the gas stove, and, at Jack's insistence, the tent.
The night was cold, even with the fire Jo had built. By its flickering light, she could just about see Jack's face as he tried to get comfortable under the makeshift shelter she'd put together. She smiled to herself, wondering what her father would have made of this mysterious, changeable man whom she trusted with her life. Her heart skipped as Jack looked up, smiling at her.
"You're staring again," he pointed out.
"Sorry." She poked the fire with a stick. "I was just wondering what you told him. What he saw that made him change his mind."
Jack's face disappeared into shadow again as he leaned back, but his voice was heavy as he spoke. "I showed him how the Time Lords win. How they guarantee their own destruction."
"And that of the Daleks," she reminded him. "How?"
"An old friend." Jack sighed. "The prodigal son, except it's not just the fatted calf who's going to get slaughtered this time."
"Someone you know?"
"Someone I used to know. Someone who knew me. Damnit."
Crawling closer, shivering as she moved away from the heat of the fire, Jo saw tears glistening in Jack's eyes. Without speaking she reached for him, settling herself next to him, wrapping herself around him and resting his head on her breast.
"I lied to him," he said simply, his voice strangely matter-of-fact. "He looked into my mind and I lied to him."
"How?"
"Practice. And because I had to."
"I don't understand."
"It doesn't work." He shifted away, wincing as he tried to rest his weight on his right arm. "The Daleks manage to trick them. They hide, waiting in the dark places of space and time until they're strong again. And then they come back, stronger, fiercer than before. I just told him how to wipe our his people, all for nothing. The Daleks are coming back."
Jo's throat was so tight that her words came out as a whisper. "Do they win?"
Shaking his head, Jack gave her a small smile. "No. No, they don't win. They invade and they destroy and they kill. But they don't win."
"Then that's alright." She put as much conviction into the statement as she could manage and was rewarded by one of Jack's dazzling grins. Laughing, he used his good arm to pull her to him, kissing her, then resting his chin on the top of her head.
"I guess so."
Untangling herself from around him so that he could lean back, Jo settled into his arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart. This close, she could still sense the sorrow beneath the surface, a sorrow that ran deeper than she'd realised. For now, in the darkness, all she needed to know was that he was here, his arm tight around her and his body pressed to hers, needing her as much as she needed him. They sat and watched the fire dance, sparkle and die, until Jo could only see the faintest glow among the ashes, which finally disappeared in the cold, grey light of dawn.