The Guardian's Secret 25/?
Title: The Guardian's Secret 25/?
Author: Hezikiah
Disclaimer: Not mine, the BBC's.
Rating: PG
Characters: Ella (OC), Donna, Eighth Doctor, Tenth Doctor, Healer Koray (OC), Healer Akakios (OC)
Warnings: None
Summary: Sequel to " Witnessing the Protector," five years on. When the metacrisis begins to unravel on its own, a desperate Ella finds the Doctor...and winds up giving up more than she bargained for to save her best friend's life.
A/N: I suddenly found myself with way too much time on my hands and it's been gnawing at me that I've never finished this, so I am going to finish it! No excuses! It's all mapped out, anyway!
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24
December 14, 2016
24 weeks! If we were on earth and the baby were born now, it would be at its earliest point of viability. Healer Koray says that she can save the baby at this point (actually, several weeks ago), but she doesn't anticipate a premature delivery, especially since the progesterone implant is working better than anyone anticipated. I'm expected to go full term.
We're on vacation! The Doctor made good on his promise and whisked me and Donna off to Lake Abydos last night. Akakios came along as well (I have a sinking feeling Healer Koray asked him to go because she knew she wouldn't be welcome company...she's such a mother hen). Our cottage is...well, it's a giant wooden dome. The living room, dining area, and kitchen are downstairs and there's a curved stairway that goes to the three big bedrooms on the second. Like my new flat, the furniture is white and of the IKEA knockoff variety that Gallifreyans seem to adore.
The Doctor says we can stay for a week. All I know is that it's a huge relief to be away from the Citadel and all the stress. I'm not exaggerating when I say it feels like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders. I really wish I could remain at Lake Abydos for the rest of my stay on Gallifrey.
The lake is incredible, unlike anything we have on earth. The water is silver and looks like liquid mercury, but it's safe to swim in. It's an enormous lake, too. The Doctor says it's at least twice the size of the Great Salt Lake back on earth. Singing fish inhabit its water. I discovered them on our first day.
After we arrived (by Akakios' aircar, because the Doctor isn't allowed to use his TARDIS with Donna), the Doctor suggested we all go for a swim. That seemed like a good idea to everyone and it wasn't long before we'd all changed into swimsuits. I just about peed myself laughing when the Doctor came downstairs because he was wearing an old timey blue and white striped men's swimsuit. Donna also lost it laughing and sat down on the couch in her purple one-piece. “Doctor!” she gasped. “What are you wearing?”
“This?” he asked, looking down at his swimsuit. “This is the height of fashion!”
“Maybe it was in the 1920's,” I giggled
“I'll have you know the 1920's were an incredible decade!” he countered, planting both hands on his hips. “The Roaring Twenties!”
“Right before the Great Depression!” I chimed in. “Debauchery for all! I've read The Great Gatsby, Doctor.”
“Exactly! Those fellows knew how to throw a party!”
“Well, I'm going to throw something else if we don't get down to that water,” Donna interjected as she looked out the windows towards the enticing silver waves that lapped the green sandy shore (green sand, who'd have thought?).
So we all trooped down into the water, Akakios looking more modern than the Doctor's swimming togs in red trunks and a black rash guard. We must have made quite the sight, plunging into the water like a bunch of children. Koray would probably have been horrified to see two noble Time Lords like the Doctor and Akakios wrestling and splashing and dunking each other. Both men were centuries old, and yet they were acting like a pair of ten year old boys. My sides ached from laughing so hard at their antics. Donna and I also joined in the fun, splashing each other and them and creating quite a ruckus. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone else around for miles.
I was hip-deep in water and was just bringing my arm back to splash Akakios when something brushed against my leg. I yelped and kicked at it in self defense. Whatever had touched me floated up to the surface. It was a fish about the size of a rainbow trout and was dark purple on its back with a creamy white underbelly. It screeched a really bad solfeggio before it splashed down and swam away. “What the hell was that?!” I yelled.
The other three thought my bewilderment was hilarious because they collapsed into peals of laughter. “It was a singing fish!” Akakios chortled. “They make the most terrible sounds.”
“No kidding!,” I replied.
Our romp ended shortly after I'd assaulted the fish. The Doctor and Donna wandered away for a walk down the shore. Akakios got out and went to the small patio of the lakeside cottage to relax and dry off on a deck chair. I stayed in the warm water, floating on my back with my eyes shut.
I really enjoyed the feeling of being weightless. It was the first time in weeks that my back or hips weren't sore or stiff. As hot as Gallifrey is with its double suns, the UV rays aren't as bad and I don't have to wear sunscreen or worry about getting burned. I still have to wear sunglasses when I'm outside for long periods, though. My eyes just weren't made for the glaring light. I'd forgotten to put my sunglasses on and the light was too bright, even with my eyes closed. It was with much reluctance that I swam back to shore and joined Akakios on the deck, shoving my shades onto my face and settling down into another deck chair.
“Human eyes,” he sighed and I could hear the humor in his voice. “Not made for double suns.”
“Nope,” I agreed. “We're happy with one sun, thanks. At least I won't increase my chances of getting skin cancer while I'm here.”
“Of course not. We cured cancer centuries ago.”
“Chalk one up to the Time Lords, then,” I countered. “I'd ask you to drop a few hints to the scientists on earth, but there's that pesky non-interference policy you guys are always harping on about.”
“No, but I'll bend another law and tell you that your people will figure it out on their own someday. Humans are such a persistent and inventive species. You never take no for an answer and refuse to be defeated. I think it's one of the reasons why the Doctor is so fascinated with your kind. I know it's one of the reasons why I chose to focus on humans when I specialized in alien physiology.”
I snorted. “Thanks, Akakios. I think.”
“That and your resemblance to Time Lords. It's rather uncanny.”
“Yeah, it is very odd,” I replied. “I mean, on the outside we look exactly the same. On the inside, it's like comparing the insides of a moose to a starfish.”
“I don't think it's that great of a difference. We still have almost the same basic organs. We're similar enough that I was able to accomplish that.” He nodded down the beach towards Donna. She and the Doctor had ambled quite far, but I could still make out the white stripes on the Doctor's swimming costume. It looked liked they were on their way back. “If Donna's anatomy hadn't been so similar, then I wouldn't have been able to save her. Be glad she wasn't a Slitheen or something gelatinous, like a Rutan.”
I had no idea what he was talking about. My knowledge of other sentient species present in the galaxy is somewhat limited. Instead, I watched the growing forms of the Doctor and Donna. “Do you think she'll be able to pass the tests? I mean, the Doctor passed them ages ago and she's got his memories. It should be a cinch for her to remember what he did.”
“Erm...” Akakios shifted as if he were uncomfortable. “It's not quite the same. For one, the exams have changed since we were students. Also, erm...” he cleared his throat. “The Doctor didn't pass his first time.”
“He didn't?” I was dumbfounded. “But he's a freaking genius! How could he fail?”
“It's kind of complicated,” Akakios answered and I knew he didn't want to spill the juicy gossip about the Doctor. “He passed the second time, though.”
“But Donna's not going to get a second chance.”
“Precisely.” He followed my gaze “She's going to have to get it right the first time. The Council knew exactly what they were doing when they set this challenge up for her. They weren't just going to give her a test that they knew she could pass without even trying. She's going to have to accomplish something that the Doctor never was able to do.”
“Donna can do it. I know she can,” I replied. Just then the baby started kicking and I rubbed my belly in slow circles. “Knock it off in there, you little jumping bean!”
She continued to thrash about to the point where her movements made my stomach jerk around. Akakios sat up on his chair and held out his hands. “May I?”
I shrugged. “Sure, go ahead.”
He put his hands on my stomach. The baby gave a mighty whallop right into the palm of his left hand and he started laughing in delight. “Oh my! That's amazing!”
“Not when it's the middle of the night and she does that to my bladder,” I replied and he just grinned.
The Doctor and Donna returned from their walk and we had dinner. The rest stayed up later, but the swim and a full stomach made me sleepy and I went to bed. This is going to be a great week.
December 20, 2017
This week has been exactly what I needed. I feel like all the stress I was under has gone away. The Doctor hasn't once bothered me about my studies or my project. I wish we could stay here for the rest of the trip, but Akakios is antsy to get back and Donna wants to get started on her studies for the trials. She has full confidence that she can pass them the first time, but still wants to make sure that she is completely prepared. That means studying the subjects of the most recent trials and bringing herself up to date, under the Doctor's tutelage. I guess he's going to have two students now!
I'm going to get a late nap in before I have to pack. We have to leave early in the morning.
I don't want to go.
December 21, 2017
Made it to 25 weeks.
We got back to the Citadel late this afternoon by transmat straight to the Medical Center. It's a short walk to our flat and the TARDIS and Akakios had some patients that he wanted to catch up on. The Doctor, Donna, and I said goodbye to him and walked off across the park. There was a weird vibe in the air, like something was off. It didn't take a Time Lord's heightened senses to detect that the population seemed nervous. As we crossed the plaza, it struck me how quiet it was and how strange everyone was acting. That plaza is normally extremely busy, full of bustling people, music, and chatter. Today it was silent and everyone stood around in small groups, whispering to each other and sneaking furtive glances around at the other people.
“Did I miss something?” I whispered to the Doctor. “What's going on? Why is everybody acting so strange?”
“I don't know,” he whispered back before frowning. “But I don't like it.”
“It's like they're afraid of something,” Donna observed. “Oh, I really don't like the look of that.” She pointed at a bunch of guards on the edge of the plaza. They'd set up barriers along the edge so that you were forced to go through a sort of checkpoint if you were coming in or out.
We approached the guards and they stiffened at our approach. One of them held something that honestly looked like a hair dryer. He asked, “Have you been scanned?”.
“Scanned? Whatever are you talking about?” the Doctor demanded. “What's all this?” he waved a hand at the device and the barriers.
The guards looked at each other in surprise and then back at the Doctor. “Haven't you heard?”
“No, we haven't,” Donna answered. “We've been at Lake Abydos all week. What's happened?”
“Lord Nevisth's men discovered a plot to plant a bomb in the Panopticon during the next Council meeting. The suspect that they apprehended had a Dalek eyestalk in his head. Lord Nevisth fears that there are more of these Dalek hybrids and he's ordered a scan of the entire population to weed them out.” He gestured at the futuristic hair dryer that his companion held. “It doesn't hurt and takes just a moment, but we're under orders.”
“Of course you are,” the Doctor replied. “And rightly so.” He glanced around at the nervous crowd. “Considering the recent bombing and the confirmation that the Daleks have infiltrated the Citadel, it's no wonder that people are upset. Nevisth was correct to be proactive in looking for any associates.”
“It's about the only thing he's done right,” I muttered under my breath to Donna and she chuckled.
The Doctor stepped forward and allowed the guards to scan him. The guard ran the hair dryer around his head and it made a beeping sound. “You're clean,” he announced and looked at me and Donna. “Ladies?”
Donna shrugged and was scanned, coming up clean. I was as well. The guards stepped back to let us pass and we headed back towards our flat. I waited until we were out of earshot of the guards when I turned to the Doctor and asked, “Manu was the first, wasn't she? She tried to convert Micah to her side. I really think that if he hadn't run away when he did, she would have killed him and made him into one of those Dalek...things.” We headed back down the street towards our flat.
The Doctor's lips thinned out in a line and he nodded once. “There's obviously more than one now. The Daleks have long wanted to attack and conquer Gallifrey, but our defenses are simply impenetrable. A direct attack on Gallifrey would be suicide for them.”
“Right, they'd never get through the skytrenches...” Donna started to say, but then trailed off, looking troubled.
The Doctor didn't seem to notice. “They're attacking us on our own soil using subterfuge to sew discord and fear in the population and take down the government.” He slammed a fist down into the palm of his opposite hand in frustration. “I just wish I knew how many there were! How many students did Manu infect before she killed herself? Are we dealing with just a few rogue Dalek hybrids or an entire army? There's billions of people on this planet! It will take ages to scan the entire population and it's too easy to miss those who wish to avoid being detected. Meanwhile, how many more of my people are going to die if we miss one?”
Donna didn't reply and the troubled look was still on her face.
“How are you going to help?” I asked, keeping one eye on my best friend.
He shook his head, curly brown hair flopping into his eyes. He shoved back in irritation. “I don't know, Ella. All I know is that I can't stand around here while we wait to be attacked again.”
“Use the satellite defense system to scan the population,” Donna said in an almost inaudible voice.
The Doctor frowned. “What was that, Donna?”
She sighed quietly and a look of resignation crossed her face. She pointed up at the sky. “Gallifrey's got a network of defense satellites that continually scan the surrounding space for enemy ships, yes? The hybrids can communicate via subspace frequency with the rest of the pepperpots wherever they're hiding and giving out orders. Aim those satellites at the planet and calibrate them to the frequencies given off by the hybrids. It will take just a few minutes and you will be able to triangulate down to an area of a few centimeters anyone who's got a stalk in their noggins. Then you can send in Nevisth's goons to capture them.” Donna clapped her hands. “Easy peasy lemon squeezy.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “That's a brilliant plan, Donna, but we...well, the satellites are just now being finished, but they haven't been placed in orbit yet. You shouldn't even know about that as the general population hasn't been told. That's classified information.”
“Well, obviously I know about it!” Donna snapped. “If it's in your head then it's in mine!” She took a deep breath and her voice grew quieter. “Just...you can modify them while they're still planetside. It won't take long.” We stopped in front of our flat and she pressed her hand to the door. As it opened, her eyes slid towards his, but she refused to look at him. “Thanks for the diversion, Doctor. It was really fun.” Donna turned her back on us and slipped inside.
“Was it something I said?” he asked, looking at me with a confused expression on his face.
I raised my eyebrows and shrugged. “I don't know, but I'll try talking to her.” I squeezed his shoulder and smiled. “I did enjoy myself. It stinks that we had to come back to this, but I really needed to get away and I feel a lot better now. This trip was just what the doctor ordered.”
His mouth quirked upwards in a smile. “Well, I'm glad. Back to work tomorrow?”
I groaned. “Oh, don't remind me. I've already got a date with the archivist at the university library.”
“Oh good!” he beamed. “See you later, Ella.” The Doctor turned and, clasping his hands behind his back, strolled away down the block.
I dropped my suitcase unceremoniously in my bedroom and heard the sound of running water coming from the kitchen. I headed in there and caught Donna heating water for tea (the Doctor gave her a generous portion of tea from his stash on the TARDIS). She glanced up when I came in and added another bag to the teapot. I took that as a sign that my presence wasn't unwelcome. “You suddenly got a bug up your butt back there,” I observed, deciding to get straight to the point. “What is it?”
Donna frowned for a moment, but her shoulders were shaking slightly in mirth. “Americans,” she snickered. “You and your queer expressions.”
“Hey, you could talk! You Brits have plenty of strange expressions. 'Tickety-boo,' for one.”
Donna half-grinned as she dumped hot water into the pot to steep. “My gran always said that,” she chortled a little. “I think it was meant to sound posh or something, but it never came across that way.” She looked up at the ceiling, tossing her hair. “I heard about this one time when she met Princess Anne...”
I noticed she had avoided my question, something she's picked up from the Doctor. The old Donna never did that, never evaded your queries. Well, I wasn't going to fall for it. “Donna,” I interrupted and she stopped talking, giving me an annoyed glare. “Why won't you answer my question? What's bothering you? Is this some Time Lord-y thing that I won't understand because I'm too dumb?”
She slammed the lid down on the pot a little too hard and I winced at the loud clink sound it made. “Don't denigrate yourself like that,” she grumbled. “We both know you're not dumb.”
“For a human,” I added and then rushed on before she could rebuke me further. “Seriously, you were happy-happy Donna one moment and then all weird and moody the next when the Doctor started talking about the Daleks. If I didn't know any better, I'd day you're acting more like the Tenth Doctor more and more. Sometimes your behavior is so...not you. I wish I could describe it better.”
To my surprise, she let out a deep sigh and gripped the counter with both hands, dropping her head so her hair hid her face from me. “I know exactly what you mean,” she breathed a moment later. “And you're right. I can feel it. I mean, this was what I was like when...during the Metacrisis. I was him and me and...the other him. It's all coming back now. I'm not the old Donna anymore and I'll never be. I've gotten his quirkiness, his mercurial attitude, and other things I loved about him.” She looked up and I saw that her eyes were wet. “I miss him, Ella. I wish he were here because I am so scared right now.”
I took her hand. “The Daleks?” I guessed.
“A little bit,” she replied and squeezed my hand. “It's just...I remember this. This was how it all started.”
“The Time War.”
“Oh yes,” she replied, looking up at the ceiling as her features hardened into an expression I didn't recognize. “The bloody damn Time War. I remember it all. It's the one thing I can remember all of. I nearly slipped up back there when I mentioned the skytrenches.”
“What are those?” I asked. “I've never heard of them.”
Donna took two mugs out of a cabinet and lifted the teapot. “That's because they don't exist yet,” she answered as she poured tea into the mugs. “There won't be a need for them for centuries, not until the Daleks attack Gallifrey directly.”
I shuddered. “The Doctor showed me only a little of the War, the destruction of Arcadia. It was awful.”
“Awful doesn't begin to describe it.” Donna's voice sounded haunted and she looked off into the distance after handing me a steaming mug. “Billions or trillions died, I don't even know if we really kept count. The fabric of time was ripped apart. Whole planets and civilizations, innocent bystanders, caught up in the slaughter.” She took a sip. “Sometimes I wonder how the Doctor didn't go insane.”
“Especially considering what he did to end it,” I answered quietly.
Donna nodded once. “Right now, all I want to be several billion lightyears away right now, knowing what I know. I don't want to be here with my best friend and my unborn baby, but the only way home is to prove that I'm worthy to be a Time Lord and maybe, just maybe, we can blow town and go back to earth. Once we get past that damn Time Lock...well, the Time Lords can't touch us.”
“Can't they?” I asked, surprised. I didn't really know anything about the Time Lock, having heard it only mentioned once or twice.
“No. The problem is that I'm not sure how,” she replied. “I'm hoping it will come back to me, how he did it and maybe I can find a way through once I understand what he did. But I am certain that once we're through, they can't come after us and we'll be safe, forever.”
I sipped at my tea. “I want to believe that it's true because it seems with each passing day, going home seems less and less like a reality.”
“They're not going to keep me from earth,” I could hear the icy resolve in her voice. “We are going home, Ella, whether the Time Lords want us to or not. I will make it happen, with or without the Doctor's help.”
Part of me wanted to applaud her tenacity, but the other part of me was scared that maybe she was wrong. I felt guilty for doubting her abilities. I've never doubted Donna before and I shouldn't now that she's a Time Lady, but there's just too many variables that could go wrong and I don't know what to believe in anymore.
Author: Hezikiah
Disclaimer: Not mine, the BBC's.
Rating: PG
Characters: Ella (OC), Donna, Eighth Doctor, Tenth Doctor, Healer Koray (OC), Healer Akakios (OC)
Warnings: None
Summary: Sequel to " Witnessing the Protector," five years on. When the metacrisis begins to unravel on its own, a desperate Ella finds the Doctor...and winds up giving up more than she bargained for to save her best friend's life.
A/N: I suddenly found myself with way too much time on my hands and it's been gnawing at me that I've never finished this, so I am going to finish it! No excuses! It's all mapped out, anyway!
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24
December 14, 2016
24 weeks! If we were on earth and the baby were born now, it would be at its earliest point of viability. Healer Koray says that she can save the baby at this point (actually, several weeks ago), but she doesn't anticipate a premature delivery, especially since the progesterone implant is working better than anyone anticipated. I'm expected to go full term.
We're on vacation! The Doctor made good on his promise and whisked me and Donna off to Lake Abydos last night. Akakios came along as well (I have a sinking feeling Healer Koray asked him to go because she knew she wouldn't be welcome company...she's such a mother hen). Our cottage is...well, it's a giant wooden dome. The living room, dining area, and kitchen are downstairs and there's a curved stairway that goes to the three big bedrooms on the second. Like my new flat, the furniture is white and of the IKEA knockoff variety that Gallifreyans seem to adore.
The Doctor says we can stay for a week. All I know is that it's a huge relief to be away from the Citadel and all the stress. I'm not exaggerating when I say it feels like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders. I really wish I could remain at Lake Abydos for the rest of my stay on Gallifrey.
The lake is incredible, unlike anything we have on earth. The water is silver and looks like liquid mercury, but it's safe to swim in. It's an enormous lake, too. The Doctor says it's at least twice the size of the Great Salt Lake back on earth. Singing fish inhabit its water. I discovered them on our first day.
After we arrived (by Akakios' aircar, because the Doctor isn't allowed to use his TARDIS with Donna), the Doctor suggested we all go for a swim. That seemed like a good idea to everyone and it wasn't long before we'd all changed into swimsuits. I just about peed myself laughing when the Doctor came downstairs because he was wearing an old timey blue and white striped men's swimsuit. Donna also lost it laughing and sat down on the couch in her purple one-piece. “Doctor!” she gasped. “What are you wearing?”
“This?” he asked, looking down at his swimsuit. “This is the height of fashion!”
“Maybe it was in the 1920's,” I giggled
“I'll have you know the 1920's were an incredible decade!” he countered, planting both hands on his hips. “The Roaring Twenties!”
“Right before the Great Depression!” I chimed in. “Debauchery for all! I've read The Great Gatsby, Doctor.”
“Exactly! Those fellows knew how to throw a party!”
“Well, I'm going to throw something else if we don't get down to that water,” Donna interjected as she looked out the windows towards the enticing silver waves that lapped the green sandy shore (green sand, who'd have thought?).
So we all trooped down into the water, Akakios looking more modern than the Doctor's swimming togs in red trunks and a black rash guard. We must have made quite the sight, plunging into the water like a bunch of children. Koray would probably have been horrified to see two noble Time Lords like the Doctor and Akakios wrestling and splashing and dunking each other. Both men were centuries old, and yet they were acting like a pair of ten year old boys. My sides ached from laughing so hard at their antics. Donna and I also joined in the fun, splashing each other and them and creating quite a ruckus. Fortunately, there wasn't anyone else around for miles.
I was hip-deep in water and was just bringing my arm back to splash Akakios when something brushed against my leg. I yelped and kicked at it in self defense. Whatever had touched me floated up to the surface. It was a fish about the size of a rainbow trout and was dark purple on its back with a creamy white underbelly. It screeched a really bad solfeggio before it splashed down and swam away. “What the hell was that?!” I yelled.
The other three thought my bewilderment was hilarious because they collapsed into peals of laughter. “It was a singing fish!” Akakios chortled. “They make the most terrible sounds.”
“No kidding!,” I replied.
Our romp ended shortly after I'd assaulted the fish. The Doctor and Donna wandered away for a walk down the shore. Akakios got out and went to the small patio of the lakeside cottage to relax and dry off on a deck chair. I stayed in the warm water, floating on my back with my eyes shut.
I really enjoyed the feeling of being weightless. It was the first time in weeks that my back or hips weren't sore or stiff. As hot as Gallifrey is with its double suns, the UV rays aren't as bad and I don't have to wear sunscreen or worry about getting burned. I still have to wear sunglasses when I'm outside for long periods, though. My eyes just weren't made for the glaring light. I'd forgotten to put my sunglasses on and the light was too bright, even with my eyes closed. It was with much reluctance that I swam back to shore and joined Akakios on the deck, shoving my shades onto my face and settling down into another deck chair.
“Human eyes,” he sighed and I could hear the humor in his voice. “Not made for double suns.”
“Nope,” I agreed. “We're happy with one sun, thanks. At least I won't increase my chances of getting skin cancer while I'm here.”
“Of course not. We cured cancer centuries ago.”
“Chalk one up to the Time Lords, then,” I countered. “I'd ask you to drop a few hints to the scientists on earth, but there's that pesky non-interference policy you guys are always harping on about.”
“No, but I'll bend another law and tell you that your people will figure it out on their own someday. Humans are such a persistent and inventive species. You never take no for an answer and refuse to be defeated. I think it's one of the reasons why the Doctor is so fascinated with your kind. I know it's one of the reasons why I chose to focus on humans when I specialized in alien physiology.”
I snorted. “Thanks, Akakios. I think.”
“That and your resemblance to Time Lords. It's rather uncanny.”
“Yeah, it is very odd,” I replied. “I mean, on the outside we look exactly the same. On the inside, it's like comparing the insides of a moose to a starfish.”
“I don't think it's that great of a difference. We still have almost the same basic organs. We're similar enough that I was able to accomplish that.” He nodded down the beach towards Donna. She and the Doctor had ambled quite far, but I could still make out the white stripes on the Doctor's swimming costume. It looked liked they were on their way back. “If Donna's anatomy hadn't been so similar, then I wouldn't have been able to save her. Be glad she wasn't a Slitheen or something gelatinous, like a Rutan.”
I had no idea what he was talking about. My knowledge of other sentient species present in the galaxy is somewhat limited. Instead, I watched the growing forms of the Doctor and Donna. “Do you think she'll be able to pass the tests? I mean, the Doctor passed them ages ago and she's got his memories. It should be a cinch for her to remember what he did.”
“Erm...” Akakios shifted as if he were uncomfortable. “It's not quite the same. For one, the exams have changed since we were students. Also, erm...” he cleared his throat. “The Doctor didn't pass his first time.”
“He didn't?” I was dumbfounded. “But he's a freaking genius! How could he fail?”
“It's kind of complicated,” Akakios answered and I knew he didn't want to spill the juicy gossip about the Doctor. “He passed the second time, though.”
“But Donna's not going to get a second chance.”
“Precisely.” He followed my gaze “She's going to have to get it right the first time. The Council knew exactly what they were doing when they set this challenge up for her. They weren't just going to give her a test that they knew she could pass without even trying. She's going to have to accomplish something that the Doctor never was able to do.”
“Donna can do it. I know she can,” I replied. Just then the baby started kicking and I rubbed my belly in slow circles. “Knock it off in there, you little jumping bean!”
She continued to thrash about to the point where her movements made my stomach jerk around. Akakios sat up on his chair and held out his hands. “May I?”
I shrugged. “Sure, go ahead.”
He put his hands on my stomach. The baby gave a mighty whallop right into the palm of his left hand and he started laughing in delight. “Oh my! That's amazing!”
“Not when it's the middle of the night and she does that to my bladder,” I replied and he just grinned.
The Doctor and Donna returned from their walk and we had dinner. The rest stayed up later, but the swim and a full stomach made me sleepy and I went to bed. This is going to be a great week.
December 20, 2017
This week has been exactly what I needed. I feel like all the stress I was under has gone away. The Doctor hasn't once bothered me about my studies or my project. I wish we could stay here for the rest of the trip, but Akakios is antsy to get back and Donna wants to get started on her studies for the trials. She has full confidence that she can pass them the first time, but still wants to make sure that she is completely prepared. That means studying the subjects of the most recent trials and bringing herself up to date, under the Doctor's tutelage. I guess he's going to have two students now!
I'm going to get a late nap in before I have to pack. We have to leave early in the morning.
I don't want to go.
December 21, 2017
Made it to 25 weeks.
We got back to the Citadel late this afternoon by transmat straight to the Medical Center. It's a short walk to our flat and the TARDIS and Akakios had some patients that he wanted to catch up on. The Doctor, Donna, and I said goodbye to him and walked off across the park. There was a weird vibe in the air, like something was off. It didn't take a Time Lord's heightened senses to detect that the population seemed nervous. As we crossed the plaza, it struck me how quiet it was and how strange everyone was acting. That plaza is normally extremely busy, full of bustling people, music, and chatter. Today it was silent and everyone stood around in small groups, whispering to each other and sneaking furtive glances around at the other people.
“Did I miss something?” I whispered to the Doctor. “What's going on? Why is everybody acting so strange?”
“I don't know,” he whispered back before frowning. “But I don't like it.”
“It's like they're afraid of something,” Donna observed. “Oh, I really don't like the look of that.” She pointed at a bunch of guards on the edge of the plaza. They'd set up barriers along the edge so that you were forced to go through a sort of checkpoint if you were coming in or out.
We approached the guards and they stiffened at our approach. One of them held something that honestly looked like a hair dryer. He asked, “Have you been scanned?”.
“Scanned? Whatever are you talking about?” the Doctor demanded. “What's all this?” he waved a hand at the device and the barriers.
The guards looked at each other in surprise and then back at the Doctor. “Haven't you heard?”
“No, we haven't,” Donna answered. “We've been at Lake Abydos all week. What's happened?”
“Lord Nevisth's men discovered a plot to plant a bomb in the Panopticon during the next Council meeting. The suspect that they apprehended had a Dalek eyestalk in his head. Lord Nevisth fears that there are more of these Dalek hybrids and he's ordered a scan of the entire population to weed them out.” He gestured at the futuristic hair dryer that his companion held. “It doesn't hurt and takes just a moment, but we're under orders.”
“Of course you are,” the Doctor replied. “And rightly so.” He glanced around at the nervous crowd. “Considering the recent bombing and the confirmation that the Daleks have infiltrated the Citadel, it's no wonder that people are upset. Nevisth was correct to be proactive in looking for any associates.”
“It's about the only thing he's done right,” I muttered under my breath to Donna and she chuckled.
The Doctor stepped forward and allowed the guards to scan him. The guard ran the hair dryer around his head and it made a beeping sound. “You're clean,” he announced and looked at me and Donna. “Ladies?”
Donna shrugged and was scanned, coming up clean. I was as well. The guards stepped back to let us pass and we headed back towards our flat. I waited until we were out of earshot of the guards when I turned to the Doctor and asked, “Manu was the first, wasn't she? She tried to convert Micah to her side. I really think that if he hadn't run away when he did, she would have killed him and made him into one of those Dalek...things.” We headed back down the street towards our flat.
The Doctor's lips thinned out in a line and he nodded once. “There's obviously more than one now. The Daleks have long wanted to attack and conquer Gallifrey, but our defenses are simply impenetrable. A direct attack on Gallifrey would be suicide for them.”
“Right, they'd never get through the skytrenches...” Donna started to say, but then trailed off, looking troubled.
The Doctor didn't seem to notice. “They're attacking us on our own soil using subterfuge to sew discord and fear in the population and take down the government.” He slammed a fist down into the palm of his opposite hand in frustration. “I just wish I knew how many there were! How many students did Manu infect before she killed herself? Are we dealing with just a few rogue Dalek hybrids or an entire army? There's billions of people on this planet! It will take ages to scan the entire population and it's too easy to miss those who wish to avoid being detected. Meanwhile, how many more of my people are going to die if we miss one?”
Donna didn't reply and the troubled look was still on her face.
“How are you going to help?” I asked, keeping one eye on my best friend.
He shook his head, curly brown hair flopping into his eyes. He shoved back in irritation. “I don't know, Ella. All I know is that I can't stand around here while we wait to be attacked again.”
“Use the satellite defense system to scan the population,” Donna said in an almost inaudible voice.
The Doctor frowned. “What was that, Donna?”
She sighed quietly and a look of resignation crossed her face. She pointed up at the sky. “Gallifrey's got a network of defense satellites that continually scan the surrounding space for enemy ships, yes? The hybrids can communicate via subspace frequency with the rest of the pepperpots wherever they're hiding and giving out orders. Aim those satellites at the planet and calibrate them to the frequencies given off by the hybrids. It will take just a few minutes and you will be able to triangulate down to an area of a few centimeters anyone who's got a stalk in their noggins. Then you can send in Nevisth's goons to capture them.” Donna clapped her hands. “Easy peasy lemon squeezy.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “That's a brilliant plan, Donna, but we...well, the satellites are just now being finished, but they haven't been placed in orbit yet. You shouldn't even know about that as the general population hasn't been told. That's classified information.”
“Well, obviously I know about it!” Donna snapped. “If it's in your head then it's in mine!” She took a deep breath and her voice grew quieter. “Just...you can modify them while they're still planetside. It won't take long.” We stopped in front of our flat and she pressed her hand to the door. As it opened, her eyes slid towards his, but she refused to look at him. “Thanks for the diversion, Doctor. It was really fun.” Donna turned her back on us and slipped inside.
“Was it something I said?” he asked, looking at me with a confused expression on his face.
I raised my eyebrows and shrugged. “I don't know, but I'll try talking to her.” I squeezed his shoulder and smiled. “I did enjoy myself. It stinks that we had to come back to this, but I really needed to get away and I feel a lot better now. This trip was just what the doctor ordered.”
His mouth quirked upwards in a smile. “Well, I'm glad. Back to work tomorrow?”
I groaned. “Oh, don't remind me. I've already got a date with the archivist at the university library.”
“Oh good!” he beamed. “See you later, Ella.” The Doctor turned and, clasping his hands behind his back, strolled away down the block.
I dropped my suitcase unceremoniously in my bedroom and heard the sound of running water coming from the kitchen. I headed in there and caught Donna heating water for tea (the Doctor gave her a generous portion of tea from his stash on the TARDIS). She glanced up when I came in and added another bag to the teapot. I took that as a sign that my presence wasn't unwelcome. “You suddenly got a bug up your butt back there,” I observed, deciding to get straight to the point. “What is it?”
Donna frowned for a moment, but her shoulders were shaking slightly in mirth. “Americans,” she snickered. “You and your queer expressions.”
“Hey, you could talk! You Brits have plenty of strange expressions. 'Tickety-boo,' for one.”
Donna half-grinned as she dumped hot water into the pot to steep. “My gran always said that,” she chortled a little. “I think it was meant to sound posh or something, but it never came across that way.” She looked up at the ceiling, tossing her hair. “I heard about this one time when she met Princess Anne...”
I noticed she had avoided my question, something she's picked up from the Doctor. The old Donna never did that, never evaded your queries. Well, I wasn't going to fall for it. “Donna,” I interrupted and she stopped talking, giving me an annoyed glare. “Why won't you answer my question? What's bothering you? Is this some Time Lord-y thing that I won't understand because I'm too dumb?”
She slammed the lid down on the pot a little too hard and I winced at the loud clink sound it made. “Don't denigrate yourself like that,” she grumbled. “We both know you're not dumb.”
“For a human,” I added and then rushed on before she could rebuke me further. “Seriously, you were happy-happy Donna one moment and then all weird and moody the next when the Doctor started talking about the Daleks. If I didn't know any better, I'd day you're acting more like the Tenth Doctor more and more. Sometimes your behavior is so...not you. I wish I could describe it better.”
To my surprise, she let out a deep sigh and gripped the counter with both hands, dropping her head so her hair hid her face from me. “I know exactly what you mean,” she breathed a moment later. “And you're right. I can feel it. I mean, this was what I was like when...during the Metacrisis. I was him and me and...the other him. It's all coming back now. I'm not the old Donna anymore and I'll never be. I've gotten his quirkiness, his mercurial attitude, and other things I loved about him.” She looked up and I saw that her eyes were wet. “I miss him, Ella. I wish he were here because I am so scared right now.”
I took her hand. “The Daleks?” I guessed.
“A little bit,” she replied and squeezed my hand. “It's just...I remember this. This was how it all started.”
“The Time War.”
“Oh yes,” she replied, looking up at the ceiling as her features hardened into an expression I didn't recognize. “The bloody damn Time War. I remember it all. It's the one thing I can remember all of. I nearly slipped up back there when I mentioned the skytrenches.”
“What are those?” I asked. “I've never heard of them.”
Donna took two mugs out of a cabinet and lifted the teapot. “That's because they don't exist yet,” she answered as she poured tea into the mugs. “There won't be a need for them for centuries, not until the Daleks attack Gallifrey directly.”
I shuddered. “The Doctor showed me only a little of the War, the destruction of Arcadia. It was awful.”
“Awful doesn't begin to describe it.” Donna's voice sounded haunted and she looked off into the distance after handing me a steaming mug. “Billions or trillions died, I don't even know if we really kept count. The fabric of time was ripped apart. Whole planets and civilizations, innocent bystanders, caught up in the slaughter.” She took a sip. “Sometimes I wonder how the Doctor didn't go insane.”
“Especially considering what he did to end it,” I answered quietly.
Donna nodded once. “Right now, all I want to be several billion lightyears away right now, knowing what I know. I don't want to be here with my best friend and my unborn baby, but the only way home is to prove that I'm worthy to be a Time Lord and maybe, just maybe, we can blow town and go back to earth. Once we get past that damn Time Lock...well, the Time Lords can't touch us.”
“Can't they?” I asked, surprised. I didn't really know anything about the Time Lock, having heard it only mentioned once or twice.
“No. The problem is that I'm not sure how,” she replied. “I'm hoping it will come back to me, how he did it and maybe I can find a way through once I understand what he did. But I am certain that once we're through, they can't come after us and we'll be safe, forever.”
I sipped at my tea. “I want to believe that it's true because it seems with each passing day, going home seems less and less like a reality.”
“They're not going to keep me from earth,” I could hear the icy resolve in her voice. “We are going home, Ella, whether the Time Lords want us to or not. I will make it happen, with or without the Doctor's help.”
Part of me wanted to applaud her tenacity, but the other part of me was scared that maybe she was wrong. I felt guilty for doubting her abilities. I've never doubted Donna before and I shouldn't now that she's a Time Lady, but there's just too many variables that could go wrong and I don't know what to believe in anymore.