001 [Voice]: OMGWTF Parallel worlds?

[never_stay_home]

...this is the right one...

[There are a few seconds of dead air as she makes sure the device is actually recording.]I thought this wasn't possible any more. This is Earth, right? Earth, but parallel? All broken down and empty. And with prison camps, not zeppelins

Comments

[turned_left]

Here, I know that voice! You're that woman! That blonde woman I met!

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

Am I? I don't think I know yours, though.

[Voice]

[turned_left]

I suppose I shouldn't be at all surprised by that, given everything else. I mean, even he's from the past and all... oi, I don't suppose I can actually get your name this time?

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

Who's from the past?

I'm Rose. Rose Tyler. Who're you, then?

[Voice]

[phd_query]

[Confused sputtering. A choked off, strangled kind of sound that isn't really a word, or even an attempt at one.]

What. What?

Not possible. Not at all possible, blimey, no. No, no, nononononononono-- NO!

Ohhhh, but it is possible, it's entirely possible and there's just enough probability, just enough possibility that you would be here instead of there and... and, and... [More spluttering, helpless attempts at words.]

Rose Tyler. [Again, with more emphasis.] Rose Tyler! Rose, oh, Rose, it's me!

Please tell me you're real. Please tell me I didn't just make you up aga---...

Rose. [Quietly.] Rose, it's me, it's the Doctor. The one you know, y'know, tall, skinny, minus the large ears, plus a pair of trainers?

... is that you?

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

[For several seconds, there is nothing but background noise. Then, tentatively,]

Doctor? Is that...are you...?

It's me. I'm real and...here. I'm not sure where here is, but I am.

Is that you? Are you there, this time? Or is there just another crack?

[Voice]

[phd_query]

[In return, more background noises, the sound of the Doctor choking down more words, potentially tears.]

No. It's not possible.

[Quiet muttering]

This is what? It'll be the twentieth time now? ... it just isn't fair. Just shadows. Just echoes. This place is fractured enough, time all splintered off into little glass shards, and all this is, all this is is just echoes of the her that was there before...

[The Doctor is silent for a long couple of seconds. When he speaks again, his voice is hoarse, weak.]

I wanted you safe. I promised I'd keep you safe.

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

[There's no pause this time, though her breath hitches a little between words.]

I am safe. I'm fine. We all are, thanks to you.

Are you...

Doctor, where are you?

VOICE REPLY.

[banishment]

We're the soldiers. Or rather, we're supposed to be. It's why we and you were brought here.

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

Well, it'd make more sense to pick up people who are actual soldiers, then.

VOICE REPLY.

[banishment]

You're speaking to one. ...sort of.

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

But if they can just pick us up from anywhere at all, why bother with people who aren't? I'm not one. If that's really what they're looking for...

[invisible_trick]

Guns wouldn't do much good against these enemies anyway.

Besides, I hate guns.

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

Yeah, but they come with soldiers.

What is it we're supposed to be fighting, then?

Re: [Voice]

[invisible_trick]

The Entropi. They're energy-based, so guns won't hurt them. Or... anything physical, really. So even those of us who can fight are a bit buggered.

[Voice]

[never_stay_home]

Oh. That's...

[She takes a deep breath.]

Still, they have to have some weakness, haven't they? Or some way to stop them...