by Cour M.
DOCTOR WHO
The Time Splicer
Book II: The Imitation Games
Cour M.
Dedication
For those of you all who have enjoyed the first book in the series, I hope that this one shall be worthy of you. The prologue in this one is just to give you a flashback of the last pages of book one, just to remind you of what the characters are now encountering. Thanks for pursuing this series and read on
Book II
The Imitation Games
Prologue
The Moment Before
Very soon, the ship reached the TARDIS consul unit as it was drifting into space. Howard 3 ejected some mechanical retrieval claws from the bottom of the ship and it closed around the TARDIS.
“Now, can you get it inside of the craft so that I can activate the forcefield and anchor on it?” Ten requested.
“Yes, we can,” Howard 5 replied, but their attention was seized when lights suddenly shone on the spaceship.
They all turned and a larger spaceship appeared, accosting them from the left of their craft.
“Doctor Jones,” Howard 6 informed her, “their hailing us.”
“Turn on the communications and receive the message,” Martha ordered.
Howard 6 pressed a button and the captain of the incoming craft appeared on a hologram before their faces.
“Greetings,” the man said, “I am Captain Desiri Nellrex and we witnessed the destruction of this satellite from our radar systems that monitor this quadrant of space.”
“I thought this part of the galaxy was never surveilled?” Martha asked Ten.
“It’s not supposed to be,” Ten responded.
“By the mandate and authority of the Shadow Proclamation,” Captain Nellrex issued, “you are now under arrest, to be questioned for the actions that have just taken place.”
Ten pressed the response receiver and began to speak.
“Captain Nellrex, I can assure you that what just took place was the release of a creature and to suppress a threat to this part of the galaxy.”
“This report has no foundation, without any tangible proof. Therefore, we are issued to warrant your arrest.”
Martha saw something out of the corner of her eye. Against some glass, she saw an image. It was not her reflection, but of a black figure with a galaxy in his palm. Yet it disappeared as soon as she had seen it. She blinked and directed her attention back to the opposing spaceship.
“Captain Nellrix,” Ten continued, “please! We are in the process of retrieving that tower that has broken off over to your right. Do you see it? It contains many innocent lives, who will be killed if we do not save them. Arrest us afterwards if you will, but please, let us retrieve it.”
“My orders are clear!” Captain Nellrex demanded, “you are under arrest. Surrender your ship, or we will shoot you down.”
Martha looked at the tower that was falling through space and back at the Doctor.
As they looked at each other, the ultimatum was clear and painful.
Either they surrendered, or they went after the tower and risked being shot down.
“Martha,” Ten reiterated, “I promised I would get you out of this.”
“Are you about to break that promise?”
“I might.”
“Do what you have to do.”
Ten turned back to Captain Nellrix and prepared to give his answer.
Chapter 1
The Moment After
Feeling set in his decision, Ten turned back to Captain Nellrix.
“Captain Nellrix,” Ten began, “I am the Doctor.”
“The Doctor?”
“The last of the Timelords, once a part of the council of Gallifrey, and a head executive of the Galactic Alliance. And you are about to keep me from doing my duty and saving lives. What happens when the Galactic Alliance and the Shadow Proclamation discover that you have interfered with Galactic law, broken faith with universal legalities and led to the death and genocide of an entire race? For that is what you shall do if you do not allow me to interfere. And what will happen to your planet when they come under fire in the political intricacies of the universe?”
On his ship, Captain Nellrix rubbed his lip with his finger, considering the matter.
“Now by all means, keep on being stubborn and threatening to shoot us when we came to help. Nothing like wasting time! Well, if you wish to slay the innocent, then I shall offer you this. Allow us to retrieve that falling compartment—which is really an ark, filled with pureblood sagriens, and then if you wish, you may arrest us.”
“That ark has pureblood sagriens on it?”
“Yes, it does,” Martha confirmed. “They are the last pureblood of their species in the universe.”
“Then it may be best that we let them fall into space and are liquidated,” Captain Nellrix acknowledged, “The history of the sagrien race is known to us.”
“Authority is given to no species to commit genocide,” Ten argued.
“The universe would thank me for disposing of them.”
“Many of them might,” Martha interrupted, “But committing mass genocide on any culture is not in alignment with the Galactic Alliance. Or the Shadow Proclamation.”
Martha looked at the Doctor, out of the side of her eye, uncertain.
“Does it?” She whispered, covering her mouth with her hand so the captain didn’t see her ask.
“Correct,” he whispered back in confirmation. Then he turned back to Captain Nellrix to encourage this, “Captain Nellrix, those sagriens are frozen, not awake, so they are no threat to your planet. Also, they can be used as a bargaining chip for you in the future. For what happens if the sagriens on Ptorian discover that you let their people float off into space and suffocate? What will happen when they learn of this? It will be chaos, and the aftermath will be never ending. Choose wisely, Captain Nellrix. Your next decision could make your world bleed.”
Captain Nellrix looked out of the windows of his ship and saw the tower of the sleeping sagriens floating further off into space.
“Lieutenant Crissian,” Captain Nellrix ordered one of his subordinates who was a pilot before him, “prepare the missiles for launch.”
⌛
In hearing that they were about to be shot upon, the inhabitants on the sagrien ship all began to tense up and panic.
“Help me up,” Soldier Helen ordered Howard 4, “maybe they might listen if one of speaks to them.”
“Stay there,” Ten ordered, “it will make no difference.”
“You are correct, Doctor,” Captain Nellrix interjected from his ship, “it will make no difference. Because we are just arming ourselves. You may retrieve your falling tower and tow it along with your vessel, but all the while, our ship shall have weapons aimed at you. Once you have secured the frozen sagriens, you are under arrest and we shall return you back to our planet. And you will cooperate.”
Ten, Martha and the rest on the vessel breathed a sigh of relief.
“Captain Nellrix,” Martha announced, going over to Howard 6 and pressing the parking break off, “Thank you for saving your judgments for later. Howards 1,2,3,4,5 and 6, fly toward the falling tower.”
“Affirmative,” the Howards announced, turning the ship and flying toward the falling tower. Martha breathed a sigh of relief, happy that they weren’t dead.
Yet Martha was the Doctor’s companion.
And the Doctor moves to the speed of lightning.
As she closed her eyes to get a moment of peace, she felt the Doctor’s hand close around her shoulder. As it did so, Martha was prepared for the jerk backwards, and it came as the Doc
tor pulled her along and she once more was running after Ten as they were racing through the spaceship.
They ran down a corridor and reached an elevator shoot. They entered it, Ten pressed the button to go down to the lower level and Martha knew they were rushing back to the hanger bay. Once they got in there, they saw the consul unit of the TARDIS on the ground.
“Do I have your permission to show affection?”
“Go ahead,” Martha allowed, “just remember to stay on-task.”
“Thank you.”
Ten rushed to the TARDIS and hugged the consul unit.
“Don’t worry,” Martha assured him, “you can kiss it if you want.”
“I promised that I would stay on-task. Martha, get us the spacesuits.”
“Right.”
Martha went to the side of the hanger, pulled out two space-jumpers, and brought them back, along with two helmets.
“So, we can’t tow it from within the vessel?” Martha asked, helping the Doctor into his suit.
“We could’ve if the TARDIS had not been broken up, but it was. So sadly, we need a line-to-sight. We must lower the landing for a long while. Hence why we need the suits this time.”
He got her into her suit and made sure that she was secure in it.
“So,” she asked lightly, “how hideous do I look?”
Ten looked at her as she appeared like a large orange marshmallow.
“You’re still a little too thin for my taste, but you’ve got a great personality.”
“Ah, but that doesn’t count for much these days.”
They bumped the front of their helmets against each other, out of affection. Next, they rushed back to the consul unit and Ten told Martha what to press.
“Now,” he informed her, as he got some rope and secured her to the consul unit, “I promise that you will be safe if you remain attached to it.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to lower the landing flap.”
Martha looked on the wall and saw the switch.
“And how will you remain secure?”
“I’m stronger than I look.”
“Doctor, promise me that you will look after yourself.”
“Always do.”
“No, you don’t!”
“No, I don’t!”
Ten rushed to the monitor on the wall and saw them getting close to the broken tower, filled with all the cryo-tubes.
“We’re getting close now.”
“Doctor,” Howard 2 voiced over the radio, “we are now within ten meters of the tower.”
“Good,” Ten confirmed, “now put on the breaks.”
The spacecraft ceased and Ten flipped the switch, lowering the landing. As he did so, the suction that came from the opening into space propelled him forward, but he held on.
“Now Martha!”
Martha, still attached to the consul unit, flipped the switch and the consul unit was activated. The TARDIS invisibly latched onto the severed tower and anchored it in. As it did so, the consul unit emitted a sound.
“Doctor?”
“That means that it worked. We’ve got it.”
Martha cried out happily. She was dismayed however when she saw that the Doctor was barely hanging on. She looked around herself and saw that there was a spare rope handy. She took it, looped it around herself and then tossed it to the Doctor. The Doctor tried to reach for it, but it was too far away.
Martha reined it back in, then threw it again. The Doctor slipped, and began to roll out of the hanger.
“No!” Martha cried, “grab it!”
The Doctor attempted to grab it, but he missed. But there was a dent on the floor, he was able to grab ahold and then pushed himself forward. He reached, took the rope in his hand and wrapped it around his palm. As he did, Martha jerked forward, for the weight of him was looped around her waist.
“Try and remain steady,” Ten ordered her.
“Doing my best,” she grunted under the pain of holding onto him. Ten crawled up the rope and eventually reached the consul unit. Once he reached it, he secured himself and took over. Martha leaned on the dashboard, trying to rest for a moment, as Ten pulled a lever.
“The tower is fully secure now,” Ten informed the rest of the spacecraft. “Howards 1,2,3,4,5 and 6! You may now fly back to our detainers.”
“Affirmative,” Howard 5 responded, and the sagrien spacecraft flew away, with the tower soaring behind them, anchored to the TARDIS. As it was securely attached to them, Martha looked at the tower, and then looked down at the consul unit.
“TARDIS, you are bloody brilliant!” She cried, hugging it.
“Ah, about time you both have learned to adore each other,” Ten pointed out, “it took forever.”
“Not my fault,” Martha argued, “you’re the one who took forever to give me a key.”
“Now’s not the time to be arguing with me, Martha. Can’t you see that we are busy?”
“Busy?” she sneered. “I had not noticed.”
⌛
As they flew back to Captain Nellrix, Martha looked at the broken-up satellite.
“They’re never going to believe us, will they?” Martha asked Ten, regarding Captain Nellrix. “They are going to believe that we destroyed the Star just because we wished to vandalize.”
“Yes, but we have the Howards to verify our cause.”
“Who were programmed by sagriens. This new lot don’t seem to be that keen on them.”
“No, they don’t. And that’s where it will get complicated.”
“Yes, it will. But I suppose that we have nothing to worry about with your connections. Why didn’t you ever tell me that you were a part of the Shadow Proclamation and Galactic Alliance? Whatever those are anyway.”
“They are like a universal space police/government.”
“And you are a member of it? Brilliant!”
“It would be if it were true.”
Martha’s spirits lowered at this.
“Oh,” was her simple reply.
“Yes… oh.”
“Doctor,” Martha asked casually, knowing the answer before she even asked. “What are the chances that they will find out that you were not what you said you were?”
“Oh, little. The psychic paper is pretty effective.”
“But let’s imagine a worst-case scenario. What if they do find out that you are not who you say you are?”
Ten did not respond.
“It could be bad, couldn’t it?” Martha asked.
“Possibly, yes,” Ten confessed.
“Ah.”
⌛
The Howards flew the ship toward the police force shuttle where Captain Nellrix was waiting for them.
“Wait Doctor,” Martha pointed out, “I just noticed something.”
“Hm?”
“We never got the solar panels for the consul unit.”
“No, we did not,” Ten sighed, seeing the solar panels completely destroyed in space. “And nothing for it now.”
“So… without them, we cannot rebuild the TARDIS?”
Ten looked at her and smiled.
“Ah, Martha, come now. Have you not figured it out yet?”
“Sorry, but no. And I’m completely lost about what you mean.”
“Second of all, wherever we go, do you doubt that I cannot find some spare parts somewhere? Brave heart, Martha.”
“Very well, if you believe it, then I will.”
Ten smiled at her warmly.
“Now, what was first of all?” She asked.
“Oh, simple. To be able to rebuild the TARDIS, we have to see if we survive because we are about to get arrested by planetary police who are trigger-happy.”
“Ah, yeah. It’s not looking good, is it?”
“Didn’t I just say brave heart?”
“Tell yourself that, thanks.”
They were both interrupted when Captain Nellrix’s voice rang all throughout the spacecraft.
“Spacecr
aft Nerva,” he announced, “by the authority of the planetary police, you are now under arrest. You shall be taken and detained in chief city Draconis where you shall be debriefed and your fate shall be determined.”
“Draconis?” Ten murmured, “that sounds familiar.”
“But Captain Nellrix,” Soldier Helen’s voice was heard in the hanger bay, “The Doctor has given his credentials. By his authority, we should be granted liberty to return to Ptorian.”
“His authority has only granted you the luxury of not being shot down in the air. And for you to think that we shall release any sagrien without interrogation—well, how high hopes you have.”
“My name is Soldier Helen, sir. And I just witnessed the loss of almost our whole taskforce, as well as now I am being arrested by a civilization who we have committed no crimes against, therefore I entreat you—let us go. We need to search the wreckage for our lost ones so that we can possibly give them burial rights. The body of a sagrien is a miracle, even when it is dead.”
“Wait, can’t sagriens regenerate?” Martha whispered to the Doctor.
“Yes, they can.”
“Is it just the purebloods who can do that?”
“No, so can the half-bloods.”
“Then—”
“I doubt any of them are alive, though. The purebloods would have made sure that they killed them for good.”
“How?”
“They could have shot them all while they were regenerating. If you kill a Timelord while our bodies are regenerating, then we die in full. The same perhaps is the way it is for sagriens.”
“Spacecraft Nerva,” Captain Nellrix continued, “you are under arrest. I advise you to come along, being escorted peacefully. I also would advise that you resist every impulse to escape, or we will shoot you down, as well as liquidate every frozen sagrien in that tower. It is therefore in your best interests to acquiesce.”
“You said that you were taking us to your planet, to the city of Draconis,” Ten yelled to be heard, “what planet does that rest on?”
Pause.
“Macrellus.”