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The Time Station Saran sat in an almost abandoned sector of space, floating as a threat to any Daleks who would dare to attack.
“This is Time Station Saran, reporting from Galactic Sector 75-O, please confirm you’re receiving.” A comms officer requested.
“Time Station Saran, this is Chief Communicator Pelarus, we are receiving you.”
“We’re on the Sector border, and we are receiving,” The comms officer began, before a light on the comms sub-console lit up. “Please hold.” The officer requested. “Sir!” The officer shouted, the Time Station’s Commander walking over.
“What’s up, Mextris?” The Commander questioned.
“We’re receiving a transmission from Sector 75-P.” The officer informed. “It’s badly scrambled, but the system has IDed the transmission as being Gallifreyan.”
“I thought nobody was meant to be in that sector.” The Commander stated.
“Did you want me to play it?” The officer asked.
“Play it through main.” The Commander requested. The officer obliged, and played the transmission through the main console.
“This is,” Static buzzed through the console, breaking up the words. “calling,” “I repeat,” “calling Gallifrey.” “We need,” “urgently. We’re” “unknown location,” “Doctor’s been taken.”
Kareenarlus and Drishorn walked quietly down a set of stairs, and onto the hangar floor. Drishorn immediately began making his was towards the nearest Battle TARDIS. Pushing the doors open, he saw that the room itself was dark. Drishorn slipped inside, Kareenarlus following close behind.
“I don’t get it, what’s a Battle TARDIS doing here?” Kareenarlus questioned.
“Maybe we weren’t hit.” Drishorn hypothesised, stepping onto the grey console platform, the blue roundels built in glowing with emergency power. “Maybe we were drawn here by something.” By the light, Drishorn opened a panel at the base, and rooted around inside. He flicked switches and twisted a dial, before resurfacing.
“What did you do?” Kareenarlus questioned.
“Just getting the power back.” He lied. “If we can get in touch with the Time Lords, then they might be able to help us.”
“Because that went so well last time.” She recalled.
“Volusem and I never sent that message.” Drishorn admitted. “He wanted to run, so I sabotaged his TARDIS.” Kareenarlus had been told how to turn on a Battle TARDIS, but the screens were dead. She reached out and pushed a button. It clicked, the room whirring into life. A quiet hum rose and fell in the background as the power ran through the console. The Time Rotor lit up with pale white light, the bulbs built into the walls providing much-needed light. Screens on the console lit up, diagnostics running in the background. Then, a few seconds later, the Time Rotor flashed red, the bulbs doing the same as the cloister bell clanged out its message of doom.
“This is Kareenarlus calling Gallifrey, I repeat, Kareenarlus calling Gallifrey.” Kareenarlus spoke into the console. “We need your help urgently. We’re lost in an unknown location, and the Doctor’s been taken.”
“Shut it off.” Drishorn hissed, sticking his head out of the door to keep watch. Kareenarlus quickly turned a dial, shutting off the message. Drishorn bolted over and pushed a lever up, plunging the room into darkness.
“Do you think they got the message?” Kareenarlus questioned in the low glow.
“Let’s hope so.” Drishorn muttered. “Come on, we need to get the Doctor back.” He stated.
“But we’re safe here. If the Time Lords got our message,” Kareenarlus began.
“If,” Drishorn emphasised. “But if they didn’t, then the Doctor’s TARDIS is our ticket out of here.” He reasoned. “We’ll wait for the guard to pass, then we’ll make a break for the exit.” He plotted. Kareenarlus hesitated before agreeing.
“I thought Daqar said they were dead.” The Doctor remembered.
“They were. But time is cyclical here.” The Advisor confirmed.
“You’re insane, the lot of you.” The Doctor stated. “Do you know what they would do? The Divergence,”
“Would overrun Gallifrey, taking their rightful place.” The Advisor completed.
“And then what? Do you think they’d be content with just destroying the Time Lords?” The Doctor wondered. “Yes, the Divergence were meant to be the Lords of Time, but who would say that their reign would be any better?” He asked, suppressing the pain.
“You’re delirious with pain.” The King realised, throwing the Doctor a mask. It clattered against the stone ground, a small tube bouncing. “Put this on, and it’ll stop hurting.” It was translucent, and only went up to the Doctor’s nose.
“I will admit, the pain definitely felt familiar.” The Doctor groaned, picking up the mask and putting it on. He took several deep breaths, before continuing. “And how exactly do you plan to get your masters into N-Space?” The Doctor questioned. “TARDISes don’t work properly in here, let alone Battle TARDISes.” He recalled. “Lack of linear time, you see. They’re not the biggest fans of it.”
“Which means nothing if you crack open the Time Core.” The Advisor informed.
“Are you mad?” The Doctor exclaimed. “Crack open the Time Core of a TARDIS, the whole thing,” He mimicked an explosion with his hands, before realising what they meant. “You’re turning TARDISes into Suicide Bombers.” He realised. “You know, if I wasn’t convinced before, I am now.”
“It is just.” The King coldly stated.
“It’s insane, is what it is!” The Doctor shouted.
“Show some respect for the king!” The Advisor shouted, interrupting the Doctor.
“In order for your Suicide Bombs to even leave here, you first have to introduce Time into this universe. If you do that, then this universe will try to fight that. Who know how it would react?” The Doctor stated. “And how do you think they would fare against a Dalek? Daqar might stand a chance, but not any of the individual Divergence.”
“The Divergence would not permit anything to get in their way.” The King reminded.
“Even you?” The Doctor offered. “What about law and order? A lot of things have changed since the Divergence were around.”
“Would you rather them or the Time Lords?” The King questioned. The Doctor froze, the words caught in his throat. “That is what I thought. The Time Lords are destroying the universe, even as far as I’ve seen.”
“I will admit they’ve made several errors over the last year, but I can’t see how replacing them will change anything.” The Doctor stated.
“If I may,” Zoe began, reminding the Doctor that she was in the room. “My father brought the Divergence back to life, having me in the process.”
“You mean Daqar? You’re a Divergent?” The Doctor realised.
“Somewhat. And I have no desire to destroy the Time Lords, whatever they are.” Zoe confirmed. “In fact, I’d rather go and help them.”
“What makes you think they would take your help?” The Doctor questioned. “Rassilon would sooner see you destroyed, and right now, he has the perfect excuse.” He debated. “If you want to offer your help, then let me take a delegation.” He plotted. “I just need my friends and my TARDIS.”
“This?” The King wondered, gesturing to the large double-doors. They creaked open, four guards carrying a big blue box.
“That’s the one.” The Doctor smiled, walking over to this TARDIS and placing his hand against one of the corners. “There, there, girl. It’s alright.” He whispered.
“You would do that?” The King questioned.
“I’m not a liar, my Lord.” The Doctor grinned. “I can’t promise they’ll listen, but I can promise I’ll try.” He admitted. “But first things first, bring me my friends.” He ordered, getting serious. The King gestured with a hand, and the four guards left to collect Kareenarlus and Drishorn. The Advisor turned to the King and whispered.
“Do you trust him?” The Advisor asked.
“I know about him.” The King spoke. “I know he wants to do what is best for us.” He answered. “And above all else, I know he will not act if it would harm his companions.”
Kareenarlus and Drishorn had stuck their heads out of the Battle TARDIS, into the grey hangar.
“Come on.” Drishorn whispered, pulling Kareenarlus out of the Battle TARDIS. He didn’t bother closing the doors. The pair began to make their way through the hangar, moving throughout the grid. As the Thal led the Time Lord to the doors, they quickly noticed that the doors had been closed. “That wasn’t meant to happen.” Drishorn muttered.
“They’re locked shut.” Kareenarlus pointed out. “They know we’re in here.” She reasoned. A reasonable assumption, thought Drishorn. He could see the gears turning in Kareenarlus’s mind, but he could also see a guard coming their way. He clamped a hand over her mouth, and threw the two of them into the grid, hiding behind a Battle TARDIS. Kareenarlus’s eyes widened, her mind finally coming up with a plan. “Of course.” She realised. “Get in, we’ll fly this one to get to him.” She pushed the doors open, and slipped inside.
“Kareenarlus, wait.” Drishorn called, but it was too late. She was already inside.
The Doctor was stood at the console, and took a deep breath as he restored life to the TARDIS.
“My father told me about this.” Zoe noted. “Daqar said this crashed on Bortresoye, millennia ago.”
“Yes, it’s rather reliable.” The Doctor recalled. “Still, she’s gotten me through a lot, especially these last few months.” He glumly smiled. “Tell me, what has Daqar told you about me?” He wondered.
“Only that you, Charlotte, and C’rizz left him behind.” Zoe remembered.
“Ah, C’rizz.” The Doctor smiled. “Poor, poor C’rizz.” He remembered, his face falling. “Did Daqar tell you how he planned to escape this universe?” He asked. “There was a way out.” He recalled. “In Rassilon’s Foundry, the heart of that little blue planet you’ve probably heard so much about. Daquar trapped Rassilon and the K’roka at the start of the loop, then Charley, C’rizz and I left for our universe.” That was when a thought crossed his mind. “I wonder how he got out.” He muttered to himself. “Still, if you’re his daughter, then I guess that makes you my granddaughter.” He smiled, changing his tone.
“I suppose it does.” Zoe realised. “He said I look like my grandmother.”
“The spitting image.” The Doctor grinning. “The girl who should’ve died. Best choice of my life, saving her.” He chuckled.
“Do you really think they’d listen to what we have to say?” Zoe asked, changing the subject.
“I hope so, Zoe.” The Doctor thinly smiled. “I really hope so.”
The Battle TARDIS glowed into life, quickly turning red. The lights began to wax and wane, the link with the Eye weakened.
“What exactly do you hope to achieve?” Drishorn questioned.
“If we’ve still got power, we might be able to dematerialise.” Kareenarlus reasoned. “Then, we could home in on the Doctor’s TARDIS.”
“Which would place us out on the surface.” Drishorn pointed out.
“If you’ve got a better idea, I’m all ears.” Kareenarlus offered, working on the console. Drishorn had to admit, he didn’t have any other ideas.
“Do it.” Drishorn conceded. Kareenarlus reached over and pulled down on a lever. The Time Rotor began to rise and fall, wheezing and groaning like an old smoker. The console spat sparks, the lights on the platform flickering as their TARDIS tried to make a trip through the non-existent Vortex. The console began flashing alarms, the cloister bell ringing loud and strong. “What’s happening?” Drishorn wondered.
“It’s failing to register a Time Vortex.” Kareenarlus read, confused. “But that shouldn’t be possible. Without a Vortex, we can’t take off.”
“And if we can’t take off,” Drishorn began.
“Then there’s something seriously wrong with this TARDIS.” Kareenarlus finished, before cancelling the dematerialisation. “I’ll have a look underneath.” She made her way over to the ladder that led to the floor. She’d been taught basic Battle TARDIS maintenance on the planet Gojaiger, so she knew how to register a Vortex.
“I’ll check outside.” Drishorn called as he opened the doors and checked outside. No sooner had he closed the doors behind him, guards grabbed him by the arms, and dragged him away, thrashing and kicking.
The Doctor and Zoe stepped outside of his TARDIS to see Drishorn being hauled in by guards.
“Doctor!” Drishorn called, the Doctor calmly walking over.
“Hello again, Drishorn. Drishorn, this is Zoe, I believe you’ve already met?”
“Yes, we have.” Zoe nodded. “Out on the surface.”
“The TARDIS.” Drishorn noticed. “So, it would’ve worked.”
“What would’ve worked?” The Doctor questioned.
“Yes, what would have worked?” The King wondered from his throne.
“Below, Kareenarlus and I were going to try and fly to your TARDIS, but she said it couldn’t register a Vortex, whatever that means.”
“It means that there isn’t a Time Vortex for it to fly through.” The Doctor explained. “Still, it means they haven’t gone through with their ridiculous plan yet.” He added. “I’ll remind you that if you do, it’ll be like cracking open a nuclear bomb.”
“It would result in their return to the world they rightly belong to.” The Advisor corrected.
“And the end of said world.” The Doctor debated.
“Enough.” The King concluded.
“I have to agree. Where is Kareenarlus, anyway?” The Doctor asked.
“She’s still down there, in that battle TARDIS.” Drishorn recalled.
“She must be removed immediately!” The Advisor snapped.
Meanwhile, down in the Battle TARDIS, Kareenarlus was working on the myriad of wires and controls in the central support of the platform, when she heard footsteps on the platform.
“Nice to see your return, Drishorn.” She greeted. “Anyone out there?” There was no response. “Drishorn?” She called, before seeing a pillar in the middle of the support start to rise and fall, as a harsh white light glowed from on the platform. The engines began to whoosh, but at a far faster pace than it should’ve. She climbed up onto the platform, and her jaw dropped as she saw who was standing at the console. Or rather, what was standing at the console.