Moving Forward Series - Part 04 - Chapter 15 - Unpleasant Reunions
Title: Moving Forward Series - Part 04 - Chapter 15 - Unpleasant Reunions
Author: othermewriter
Chapter Rating: PG Series Rating Adult
Characters: 9/Rose
Disclaimer: not mine, and so not making money from this mores the pity :(
A/N: As always my deepest gratitude to my beta lostwolfchats who has stuck with me through the long haul.
As I emerge from the elevator, I have a disorientating feeling of disconnectedness but before I can begin to try to figure it out, I am met by one of the cat nuns, who introduces herself as Sister Jatt.
Keeping things light, I comment, "Nice place, no shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop, not a big one, just a shop. So people can shop."
My comment seems to surprise the sister. "The hospital is a place of healing."
Thinking of my Rose's fondness for shopping I reply, "A shop does some people the world of good. Not me, other people...” I quickly clarify at her odd look.
Sister Jatt replies, "The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help and to mend. That does NOT include little shops,” she says rather haughtily. "Is there no one here you recognize?"
I look around, and just then, I do spot someone I recognize with a sense of relief.
As Sister Jatt continues, "It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient."
I reply, "No, I think I've found him."
Sister Jatt follows my gaze to the Face of Boe is in the corner of the ward by the window and I move toward him and the nurse near him.
As we approach Sister Jatt steps forward addressing the young cat nurse. "Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman in your care?"
As she turns to leave, I realize that my Rose has yet to show up and I have an unpleasant feeling and quickly turn to Sister Jatt, "Oh, I think my friend got lost. Uh, Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?" I reach for her but I can’t feel more than the sense that she is somewhere in the building, it’s not unsurprising in a medical facility that treats a wide variety of life forms but I now realize why I had felt disoriented when I entered the floor.
With stiff indigence, Sister Jatt replies, "Certainly, sir.” The unpleasant feeling that something is not right increases and the sooner I find out what the Face has to say the sooner I can get back to Rose and be out of here.
As the Sister leaves, I look to Novice Hame; at this point, to my knowledge, the Face and I have only met the one time on platform one, but just because I don’t know of meeting him more times than that has little to do with how many times we might have actually met before. It’s just one of the equally fun and frustrating parts of being a time traveler.
The young nurse interrupts my thoughts, "I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep, that's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or...?"
"We met just the once on Platform One. What's wrong with him?"
"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying."
As she says this my sense of foreboding again increases. "Of what?" I ask warily.
As she replies I get the sense, she is truly saddened by the big old face dying, "Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions. Although, that's impossible."
I can't help smiling as she says that, thinking of all the wonderful 'impossible' things that have happened to me recently and my most wonderful impossible of all; Rose stating, "Oh, no... I like impossible."
Kneeling down to get eye level with him, "I'm here, it's the Doctor...” Placing my hand his tank I gently brush his mind. The Face of Boe sighs.
**********************
Rose emerges from the corridor into a room where an old video of some type is playing. I notice the flickering image being projected onto the screen and wonder at the glamorous party scene so out of place in this cellar, everyone present is laughing and holding champagne. A somewhat pretty woman is shown talking to everyone and seems to be the center of attention; making me wonder what this is all about.
The woman on the tape laughs, “I mean, you never know what your life's going to be like! Ever! I'm bored with this drink.” With that she hands it off to a passing someone. “Anyway… oh, hello darling! Now, don't! Stop it!” the woman continues as she pushes a man playfully in the chest.
Suddenly the pieces come together as I recognize that voice at the same moment Rose does, “Wait a minute... that's...” and I spin around only to find whom I was afraid I would find with her tattooed man cowering beside her; Cassandra.
“Peek-a-boo!”
I am glad we were able to find a makeshift weapon and Rose holds up the metal rod telling her, “Don't you come anywhere near me, Cassandra.”
“Why? What do you think I'm going to do? Flap you to death?”
“Yeah, but... what about Golem?” She says gesturing to her strange companion.
“Oh... that's just Chip. He's my pet.”
I can’t help but stare as he groveling states, “I worship the mistress!” and feel nauseous and feel Rose’s complete agreement with me on the topic.
I cringe as she yells “Moisturize me, moisturize me...” words that bring back the nightmare she inflicted on those at platform one. She had tried to kill Theta, Rose and I and ripped open his still fresh hurts from the war when her actions had caused the death of the young tree woman Jabe. She had brutally traumatized Rose by exposing her to both his pain and that of the others on the space station forcing her nascent empathic abilities to cope with the grief and in her alarm she had nearly stayed behind. It is only now that we have joined do I realize how badly in shock Rose had been when we had returned to earth and how close she came at first to leaving us. This being hurt us all, in one-way or another.
I note her ‘pet’ is quick to pick up a nearby canister though and squirts Cassandra with it doing his mistresses bidding and I am even more irritated as she continues disparagingly, “He's not even a proper life-form. He's a force-grown clone. I modeled him on my favorite pattern, but he's so faithful. Chip sees to my physical needs.”
Her statement brings to mind all kinds of disturbing images that I unintentionally share with Rose who mutters, “I hope that means food.” She continues my other thought a bit louder addressing Cassandra, “How come you're still alive?
“You mean after you and that Doctor fellow tried to murder me?”
“That was your own fault.” Rose snaps at her total denial of responsibility for her actions and I agree with her annoyance on the matter.
Chips next words though are just as disturbing even though they seem to flatter Cassandra, “The brain of my mistress survived and her pretty blue eyes were salvaged from the bin.”
“What about the skin? I saw it, you...” Rose states not sure how to put it as I think of the disgusting images of her splattering, “You got ripped apart.”
“That piece of skin was taken from the front of my body. This piece is the back.” Her snippy comment makes me laugh as I realize what it means and share it with Rose.
“Right! So you're talking out of your…”
“Ask not!” she snaps and it really causes me to laugh in spite of my loathing of her.
At that, Chip pipes up in defense “The mistress was lucky to survive. Chip secreted mi'lady into the hospital.”
Suddenly it all makes sense, “So they don't know you're here?”
“Chip steals medicine. Helps mi'lady, soothes her, strokes her...” As he raises a hand to stroke Cassandra I can take no more.
“You can stop right there, Chip.” Rose demands, agreeing with me completely.
“But I'm so alone, hidden down here... the last Human in existence...” and her sad litany just makes me even more nauseous this time around than it did when she spouted it on Platform One.
“Don't start that again, they've called this planet New Earth for good reason, lots and lots of humans. There's millions of Humans out there... millions of them.”
It just irritates us both as she snaps, “Mutant stock!”
“They evolved, Cassandra. They just evolved, like they should. You stayed still. You got yourself all pickled and preserved, and what good did it do you? Stuffed down here in a basement. I’ll admit you've got a knack for survival, I'll give you that, but surviving isn’t living.”
Suddenly I am wary as her voice becomes cold, “But I've not been idle, Rose... tucked away, underneath this hospital; I've been listening. The Sisters are hiding something.”
“What d'you mean?” Rose asks, as I wonder what she is up to this time.
“Oh... these cats have secrets. Hush, let me whisper, come close.”
Wary at her sudden mood swing Rose backs up with a strained laugh as she remembers we are down here all alone and have no way to let Theta know what is happening. “You must be joking if you think I'm coming anywhere near you!” she states and I sudden realize that was exactly what she wanted as I feel laser manacles take hold of Rose’s body.
As she yells, “Chip! Activate the psychograph!” I feel cold terror at her words. This body can’t take the strain of a psychograph. It’s too new and our mental connections are still so fragile, I feel Rose struggle but I know with horror that were not going to get away before he throws that switch as I desperately start pulling a copy of Rose's consciousness into my TARDIS memory banks in hopes of restoring Rose's mind if the worst occurs.
“Let me go Cassandra, let me go you don’t know what your doing!” Rose begs, desperate to buy me time for both our sakes but with the shielding, it is much harder to do this.
“Oh I know exactly what I am doing! I am going to take that sweet little human body of yours for my own as you obviously don’t appreciate the kind of rare treasure you have.”
We scream as we feel the sudden compression of the horrid machine.
-----------
After a few seconds, a cloud of light jumps from Cassandra, across the room and into Rose. Chip releases the lever and Rose's body falls to the ground.
-----------
As I drift back to consciousness the terror of the last few minutes descends and I realize, mortified, that I can’t feel Rose's consciousness or my TARDIS body. After a moment, I watch as Chip comes over and peers at me. “Mistress?”
I try to move away but instead I hear myself saying, “Moisturize me...” and realize I have lost control of our Rose body. I desperately hope that the upload of Rose’s consciousness into the buffer I used when the body was forming to prevent her destruction at the Gamestation has worked, as it is truly frightening to think what the consequences are if I have failed. The White Guardian’s words echo in my mind, “your three lives will be bound together.”
I hear Cassandra using our voice. “How bizarre... arms... fingers... hearts! Oh My, I’m beating out a samba, what are you! You said you were human, you lying hussy! How did you fool my machines and how dare you claim to be Human! Tell me trollop!" With that, I feel her trying to ransack our memories pressing down on me and causing intense pain in the process. "Let me see! Let me see!” She takes full control of our motor functions and she springs to our feet. Finally, I can take no more and pass out from the pain.
Next thing I am aware of I am watching in a mirror as our eyes widen in horror and she states, “Oh my God, not only am I no longer human but I’m a chav too!” and I hate her all the more for the effect that statement will have on Rose, assuming she can be recovered after this trauma. I just hope for all our sakes that what I was able to do to protect Rose was enough and that, even if I can no longer feel her presence, that she is at least safe until we can be restored. The thought Cassandra may have killed Rose causes me to boil with anger and to fruitlessly struggle, yet nothing I do gives me back any control.
*************************
I can’t help but feel something is wrong, Rose has gone missing and in spite of my reaching out to her all I can feel is the sense she is alive but that is very little comfort, she should be clear and bright in my mindscape not the muddied presence I am feeling in spite of the building shielding. This close I should be able to easily communicate with her and yet I can’t contact either of them. I know that there are dozens of diseases that can affect psychics. Many hospitals have whole floors that are shielded to minimize the danger to those already afflicted but still it just doesn’t feel right that she would stay someplace where it was obvious she couldn’t communicate, if not just for me then for Verity from whom she would also be at least partially blocked. As I think about what to do, next I make small talk with nurse Hame.
“Am I the only visitor?”
“The rest of Boe-kind became extinct, long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old.” At that statement, I can’t help but understand the irony of that. “There are all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret. That he will speak those words only to one like himself.”
As she says this, I suddenly get a chill. “What does that mean?”
“It's just a story.”
“Stories are meant to be told, tell me the rest,” I state as I suddenly have a feeling that it is very important.
“It's said he'll talk to a wanderer, to the man without a home.” At that, my discomfort grows as I can so easily see it referring to me. A chill climbs my spine at her next words, “The lonely God.”
*************************
I start to feel dizzy. As I struggle to take control Cassandra’s presence is pushing me aside. Yet, as desperately as I try, I can’t get her loose from us and can only watch as Cassandra peers at our body in front of a mirror with a look of horror. “Look at me! From class to brass! Although...”
I want to scream as she pulls the zipper of Rose's jacket down slightly and runs her hands over our body. She has no right to do that and I rage as I hear her shameless comments of “Oh... curves... oh, baby...” then proceeds to jump up and down. “It's like living inside a bouncy castle!”
I want to be ill at Chip’s worshipful comment of, “Mistress is beautiful!”
“Absolutement!” As she turns I see that her old body has died and in horror I know there will be no way to shove her out with no place for her to go back to, which means she will fight me every step of the way for permanent possession of our Rose body.
Chip too notices and comments, “Oh...! The brain meat expired... my old mistress is gone.”
Her next words confirm my fears, “But safe and sound in here,” she states as she taps our head.
“What of the Rose child's mind?” Chip asks innocently.
I howl as she strives to read our memories and says, “I can just about access the surface memory, she's...” and I snarl as she gets a few small bits of information about our Theta.
“Gosh... she's with the Doctor...that man... he's the Doctor... a…” Her voice stalls as I am finally able to block her attempts to get more information but it is so hard and is taking so much effort just to maintain my consciousness let alone fight her for control. As Cassandra realizes that she is in for a battle, she turns on her heel to look in the mirror again. “I could do with a little work. Although...” and I rage even more as she fondles our bum. “Nice rear bumper. Hmm!”
As our mobile rings I make a desperate attempt to give away some indication that someone else is in control, “Oh... it seems to be ringing... is it meant to ring?” she says as she pulls Rose's phone out of our back pocket and stares at it.
Chip pipes up helpfully, “A primitive communications device.”
As Cassandra presses a button, I hear Theta’s voice on the other end and I try desperately to tell him were here that she has trapped us in our own body.
“Rose, where are you?”
As she comes out with “Uhm... wotcha...” I desperately hope he won’t be as dense as he sometimes can be, but dread that this will be one of his less than brilliant moments.
“Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward 26?”
“I'm on my way, governor.” I hear her say and mentally roll my eyes as she continues, “I shall proceed up the Apples and Pears.”
“You'll never guess. I'm with the Face of Boe! Remember him?”
She laughs, through gritted teeth and replies, “Course I do... that big old... boat... race...”
I want to scream as he hangs up saying, “I'd better go. See you in a minute,” before I even get a chance to start fighting properly for our voice.
Chapter 16 - Deception & Betrayal
Moving Forward Story Index 1
Author: othermewriter
Chapter Rating: PG Series Rating Adult
Characters: 9/Rose
Disclaimer: not mine, and so not making money from this mores the pity :(
A/N: As always my deepest gratitude to my beta lostwolfchats who has stuck with me through the long haul.
As I emerge from the elevator, I have a disorientating feeling of disconnectedness but before I can begin to try to figure it out, I am met by one of the cat nuns, who introduces herself as Sister Jatt.
Keeping things light, I comment, "Nice place, no shop, downstairs. I'd have a shop, not a big one, just a shop. So people can shop."
My comment seems to surprise the sister. "The hospital is a place of healing."
Thinking of my Rose's fondness for shopping I reply, "A shop does some people the world of good. Not me, other people...” I quickly clarify at her odd look.
Sister Jatt replies, "The Sisters of Plentitude take a lifelong vow to help and to mend. That does NOT include little shops,” she says rather haughtily. "Is there no one here you recognize?"
I look around, and just then, I do spot someone I recognize with a sense of relief.
As Sister Jatt continues, "It's rather unusual to visit without knowing the patient."
I reply, "No, I think I've found him."
Sister Jatt follows my gaze to the Face of Boe is in the corner of the ward by the window and I move toward him and the nurse near him.
As we approach Sister Jatt steps forward addressing the young cat nurse. "Novice Hame, if I can leave this gentleman in your care?"
As she turns to leave, I realize that my Rose has yet to show up and I have an unpleasant feeling and quickly turn to Sister Jatt, "Oh, I think my friend got lost. Uh, Rose Tyler. Could you ask at reception?" I reach for her but I can’t feel more than the sense that she is somewhere in the building, it’s not unsurprising in a medical facility that treats a wide variety of life forms but I now realize why I had felt disoriented when I entered the floor.
With stiff indigence, Sister Jatt replies, "Certainly, sir.” The unpleasant feeling that something is not right increases and the sooner I find out what the Face has to say the sooner I can get back to Rose and be out of here.
As the Sister leaves, I look to Novice Hame; at this point, to my knowledge, the Face and I have only met the one time on platform one, but just because I don’t know of meeting him more times than that has little to do with how many times we might have actually met before. It’s just one of the equally fun and frustrating parts of being a time traveler.
The young nurse interrupts my thoughts, "I'm afraid the Face of Boe's asleep, that's all he tends to do these days. Are you a friend, or...?"
"We met just the once on Platform One. What's wrong with him?"
"I'm so sorry. I thought you knew. The Face of Boe is dying."
As she says this my sense of foreboding again increases. "Of what?" I ask warily.
As she replies I get the sense, she is truly saddened by the big old face dying, "Old age. The one thing we can't cure. He's thousands of years old. Some people say millions. Although, that's impossible."
I can't help smiling as she says that, thinking of all the wonderful 'impossible' things that have happened to me recently and my most wonderful impossible of all; Rose stating, "Oh, no... I like impossible."
Kneeling down to get eye level with him, "I'm here, it's the Doctor...” Placing my hand his tank I gently brush his mind. The Face of Boe sighs.
**********************
Rose emerges from the corridor into a room where an old video of some type is playing. I notice the flickering image being projected onto the screen and wonder at the glamorous party scene so out of place in this cellar, everyone present is laughing and holding champagne. A somewhat pretty woman is shown talking to everyone and seems to be the center of attention; making me wonder what this is all about.
The woman on the tape laughs, “I mean, you never know what your life's going to be like! Ever! I'm bored with this drink.” With that she hands it off to a passing someone. “Anyway… oh, hello darling! Now, don't! Stop it!” the woman continues as she pushes a man playfully in the chest.
Suddenly the pieces come together as I recognize that voice at the same moment Rose does, “Wait a minute... that's...” and I spin around only to find whom I was afraid I would find with her tattooed man cowering beside her; Cassandra.
“Peek-a-boo!”
I am glad we were able to find a makeshift weapon and Rose holds up the metal rod telling her, “Don't you come anywhere near me, Cassandra.”
“Why? What do you think I'm going to do? Flap you to death?”
“Yeah, but... what about Golem?” She says gesturing to her strange companion.
“Oh... that's just Chip. He's my pet.”
I can’t help but stare as he groveling states, “I worship the mistress!” and feel nauseous and feel Rose’s complete agreement with me on the topic.
I cringe as she yells “Moisturize me, moisturize me...” words that bring back the nightmare she inflicted on those at platform one. She had tried to kill Theta, Rose and I and ripped open his still fresh hurts from the war when her actions had caused the death of the young tree woman Jabe. She had brutally traumatized Rose by exposing her to both his pain and that of the others on the space station forcing her nascent empathic abilities to cope with the grief and in her alarm she had nearly stayed behind. It is only now that we have joined do I realize how badly in shock Rose had been when we had returned to earth and how close she came at first to leaving us. This being hurt us all, in one-way or another.
I note her ‘pet’ is quick to pick up a nearby canister though and squirts Cassandra with it doing his mistresses bidding and I am even more irritated as she continues disparagingly, “He's not even a proper life-form. He's a force-grown clone. I modeled him on my favorite pattern, but he's so faithful. Chip sees to my physical needs.”
Her statement brings to mind all kinds of disturbing images that I unintentionally share with Rose who mutters, “I hope that means food.” She continues my other thought a bit louder addressing Cassandra, “How come you're still alive?
“You mean after you and that Doctor fellow tried to murder me?”
“That was your own fault.” Rose snaps at her total denial of responsibility for her actions and I agree with her annoyance on the matter.
Chips next words though are just as disturbing even though they seem to flatter Cassandra, “The brain of my mistress survived and her pretty blue eyes were salvaged from the bin.”
“What about the skin? I saw it, you...” Rose states not sure how to put it as I think of the disgusting images of her splattering, “You got ripped apart.”
“That piece of skin was taken from the front of my body. This piece is the back.” Her snippy comment makes me laugh as I realize what it means and share it with Rose.
“Right! So you're talking out of your…”
“Ask not!” she snaps and it really causes me to laugh in spite of my loathing of her.
At that, Chip pipes up in defense “The mistress was lucky to survive. Chip secreted mi'lady into the hospital.”
Suddenly it all makes sense, “So they don't know you're here?”
“Chip steals medicine. Helps mi'lady, soothes her, strokes her...” As he raises a hand to stroke Cassandra I can take no more.
“You can stop right there, Chip.” Rose demands, agreeing with me completely.
“But I'm so alone, hidden down here... the last Human in existence...” and her sad litany just makes me even more nauseous this time around than it did when she spouted it on Platform One.
“Don't start that again, they've called this planet New Earth for good reason, lots and lots of humans. There's millions of Humans out there... millions of them.”
It just irritates us both as she snaps, “Mutant stock!”
“They evolved, Cassandra. They just evolved, like they should. You stayed still. You got yourself all pickled and preserved, and what good did it do you? Stuffed down here in a basement. I’ll admit you've got a knack for survival, I'll give you that, but surviving isn’t living.”
Suddenly I am wary as her voice becomes cold, “But I've not been idle, Rose... tucked away, underneath this hospital; I've been listening. The Sisters are hiding something.”
“What d'you mean?” Rose asks, as I wonder what she is up to this time.
“Oh... these cats have secrets. Hush, let me whisper, come close.”
Wary at her sudden mood swing Rose backs up with a strained laugh as she remembers we are down here all alone and have no way to let Theta know what is happening. “You must be joking if you think I'm coming anywhere near you!” she states and I sudden realize that was exactly what she wanted as I feel laser manacles take hold of Rose’s body.
As she yells, “Chip! Activate the psychograph!” I feel cold terror at her words. This body can’t take the strain of a psychograph. It’s too new and our mental connections are still so fragile, I feel Rose struggle but I know with horror that were not going to get away before he throws that switch as I desperately start pulling a copy of Rose's consciousness into my TARDIS memory banks in hopes of restoring Rose's mind if the worst occurs.
“Let me go Cassandra, let me go you don’t know what your doing!” Rose begs, desperate to buy me time for both our sakes but with the shielding, it is much harder to do this.
“Oh I know exactly what I am doing! I am going to take that sweet little human body of yours for my own as you obviously don’t appreciate the kind of rare treasure you have.”
We scream as we feel the sudden compression of the horrid machine.
-----------
After a few seconds, a cloud of light jumps from Cassandra, across the room and into Rose. Chip releases the lever and Rose's body falls to the ground.
-----------
As I drift back to consciousness the terror of the last few minutes descends and I realize, mortified, that I can’t feel Rose's consciousness or my TARDIS body. After a moment, I watch as Chip comes over and peers at me. “Mistress?”
I try to move away but instead I hear myself saying, “Moisturize me...” and realize I have lost control of our Rose body. I desperately hope that the upload of Rose’s consciousness into the buffer I used when the body was forming to prevent her destruction at the Gamestation has worked, as it is truly frightening to think what the consequences are if I have failed. The White Guardian’s words echo in my mind, “your three lives will be bound together.”
I hear Cassandra using our voice. “How bizarre... arms... fingers... hearts! Oh My, I’m beating out a samba, what are you! You said you were human, you lying hussy! How did you fool my machines and how dare you claim to be Human! Tell me trollop!" With that, I feel her trying to ransack our memories pressing down on me and causing intense pain in the process. "Let me see! Let me see!” She takes full control of our motor functions and she springs to our feet. Finally, I can take no more and pass out from the pain.
Next thing I am aware of I am watching in a mirror as our eyes widen in horror and she states, “Oh my God, not only am I no longer human but I’m a chav too!” and I hate her all the more for the effect that statement will have on Rose, assuming she can be recovered after this trauma. I just hope for all our sakes that what I was able to do to protect Rose was enough and that, even if I can no longer feel her presence, that she is at least safe until we can be restored. The thought Cassandra may have killed Rose causes me to boil with anger and to fruitlessly struggle, yet nothing I do gives me back any control.
*************************
I can’t help but feel something is wrong, Rose has gone missing and in spite of my reaching out to her all I can feel is the sense she is alive but that is very little comfort, she should be clear and bright in my mindscape not the muddied presence I am feeling in spite of the building shielding. This close I should be able to easily communicate with her and yet I can’t contact either of them. I know that there are dozens of diseases that can affect psychics. Many hospitals have whole floors that are shielded to minimize the danger to those already afflicted but still it just doesn’t feel right that she would stay someplace where it was obvious she couldn’t communicate, if not just for me then for Verity from whom she would also be at least partially blocked. As I think about what to do, next I make small talk with nurse Hame.
“Am I the only visitor?”
“The rest of Boe-kind became extinct, long ago. He's the only one left. Legend says that the Face of Boe has watched the universe grow old.” At that statement, I can’t help but understand the irony of that. “There are all sorts of superstitions around him. One story says that just before his death, the Face of Boe will impart his great secret. That he will speak those words only to one like himself.”
As she says this, I suddenly get a chill. “What does that mean?”
“It's just a story.”
“Stories are meant to be told, tell me the rest,” I state as I suddenly have a feeling that it is very important.
“It's said he'll talk to a wanderer, to the man without a home.” At that, my discomfort grows as I can so easily see it referring to me. A chill climbs my spine at her next words, “The lonely God.”
*************************
I start to feel dizzy. As I struggle to take control Cassandra’s presence is pushing me aside. Yet, as desperately as I try, I can’t get her loose from us and can only watch as Cassandra peers at our body in front of a mirror with a look of horror. “Look at me! From class to brass! Although...”
I want to scream as she pulls the zipper of Rose's jacket down slightly and runs her hands over our body. She has no right to do that and I rage as I hear her shameless comments of “Oh... curves... oh, baby...” then proceeds to jump up and down. “It's like living inside a bouncy castle!”
I want to be ill at Chip’s worshipful comment of, “Mistress is beautiful!”
“Absolutement!” As she turns I see that her old body has died and in horror I know there will be no way to shove her out with no place for her to go back to, which means she will fight me every step of the way for permanent possession of our Rose body.
Chip too notices and comments, “Oh...! The brain meat expired... my old mistress is gone.”
Her next words confirm my fears, “But safe and sound in here,” she states as she taps our head.
“What of the Rose child's mind?” Chip asks innocently.
I howl as she strives to read our memories and says, “I can just about access the surface memory, she's...” and I snarl as she gets a few small bits of information about our Theta.
“Gosh... she's with the Doctor...that man... he's the Doctor... a…” Her voice stalls as I am finally able to block her attempts to get more information but it is so hard and is taking so much effort just to maintain my consciousness let alone fight her for control. As Cassandra realizes that she is in for a battle, she turns on her heel to look in the mirror again. “I could do with a little work. Although...” and I rage even more as she fondles our bum. “Nice rear bumper. Hmm!”
As our mobile rings I make a desperate attempt to give away some indication that someone else is in control, “Oh... it seems to be ringing... is it meant to ring?” she says as she pulls Rose's phone out of our back pocket and stares at it.
Chip pipes up helpfully, “A primitive communications device.”
As Cassandra presses a button, I hear Theta’s voice on the other end and I try desperately to tell him were here that she has trapped us in our own body.
“Rose, where are you?”
As she comes out with “Uhm... wotcha...” I desperately hope he won’t be as dense as he sometimes can be, but dread that this will be one of his less than brilliant moments.
“Where've you been? How long does it take to get to Ward 26?”
“I'm on my way, governor.” I hear her say and mentally roll my eyes as she continues, “I shall proceed up the Apples and Pears.”
“You'll never guess. I'm with the Face of Boe! Remember him?”
She laughs, through gritted teeth and replies, “Course I do... that big old... boat... race...”
I want to scream as he hangs up saying, “I'd better go. See you in a minute,” before I even get a chance to start fighting properly for our voice.
Chapter 16 - Deception & Betrayal
Moving Forward Story Index 1