Doctor Who and the Cathedral of Light - The Naked Now 3/7
Title: Doctor Who and the Cathedral of Light - The Naked Now 3/7
Characters: Jack/Ianto, The Doctor (10), OFC, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Benton, Harry Sullivan, Michael Yates, Wilfred Mott/Tom Campbell
Parings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine
Summary: Someone is stealing soldiers
Spoilers: All Torchwood, including Children of Earth, all Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Talk of nudity
A/N: This answers the questions. Well… my questions anyway.
A/N2: This is a sequel to Doctor Who and The Infernal Inferno. You don’t have to read it, but it explains where the OC came from.
Prologue - Old Soldiers
The Brigadier felt good. In fact he felt better than he’d felt in a long time. This would be a positive but for the fact that he couldn’t remember how he had ended up in this room.
Preparing himself for the pain that always came after inactivity or sleep, he gently pulled himself up into a sitting position. The curious thing was… like the absence of the dog in the night, there was no pain. No discomfort, no shooting, protesting agony that accompanied his every movement. Wiping a hand across his forehead he also noticed that the cut Harry had taped up had gone.
‘How long have I been unconscious?’ he thought to himself as he stood and gazed around the room. The first thing he noticed as he got to his feet, well… more like felt, was that he was naked. Looking around for a blanket or towel he was disappointed to find that nothing in the immediate vicinity could be used to cover his modesty. Noticing a sink to his right he walked over to it and turned on the tap.
Taking a handful of water he splashed himself letting the cold liquid run down his face. Staring at the mirror in front of him he was stunned by his own reflection. He had expected to see an eighty-year-old man staring back at him but what he found was quite different. His hair was as black as a raven’s wing and matching moustache covering his top lip, the Brigadier stared back at his own reflection forty years ago. Looking down at his hands, then back up at his image he looked roughly twenty, perhaps twenty-five years old.
‘Oh boy,’ he said, mimicking Sam Becket from the TV show Quantum Leap. ‘What is going on?’ Holding his right arm up, he realised that he wasn’t totally naked. Wrapped around the arm was a steel bracelet with a number of switches and lights running down one side. ‘Curiouser and curiouser said Alice,’ the Brigadier mused to himself.
Just then a flash of white light filled the room behind him, crackling and spitting, as four other men were transmatted in. One at a time they gained their feet, a little unsteady but fully aware of their surroundings. Standing in front of him was a young Benton, Harry, Yates and, of all people, Special Constable Tom Campbell.
Placing his hands between his legs out of self-consciousness, the Brigadier stared back at the four naked men, all standing and staring back at him. Each man had a similar bracelet wrapped around their right arm.
‘A little chilly Brigadier, what,’ Harry said noticing the naked man in front of him for the first time.
‘Yates, turn around and get away from Sullivan. One more word from you Harry and I’ll have you up on a charge. Benton… a full report… quickly man we haven’t got all day.’
Benton was just about to state categorically that he hadn’t a clue what was going on when the room was filled with bright light for a second time and two more bodies appeared. The first naked figure rose from he ground in a parody of the film Terminator. Gazing around the room, the figure was quickly joined by the second man, also naked.
‘Ianto…you shouldn’t have. For me? How did you know it was my birthday?’ Captain Jack Harkness said with a smile as he gazed at the five naked men standing before him.
‘Captain Yates, eyes above waist level man.’ The Brigadier announced in a sharp tone on noticing Yates’ gaze wandering.
‘Captain Yates, old boy…‘ Jack said with a smile, ‘very nicely turned out. I’d like to see you bring those privates to attention.’ Ianto stepped forward blocking out Jack’s line of sight.
‘I think introductions are in order…’ The Brigadier said not sure whether to extend a hand in greeting or not. ‘I’m General Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart but you can address me as Brigadier. Everyone else seems to.’
‘A little young to be a general don’t you think?’ Jack said realising the irony of the statement as he said it. He was older than the combined age of every man present.
‘I’m actually eighty years old, retired. Don’t ask me how I ended up looking like one of Yates’ lap dancers.’ Jack’s normal smile turned into a frown.
‘You’re the General Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart; UNIT’s top man in the sixties, seventies and eighties. We met on a few occasions, but… you look great.’ The Brigadier nodded, remembering where he’d seen Jack and the warnings he’d been given to avoid him. Ianto offered a hand and the Brigadier took it in a surprisingly strong grip.
‘Ianto Jones, twenty six and this is Captain Jack Harkness of undetermined age, both late of Torchwood Three.’ Jack nudged passed Ianto offering his hand to anyone that would take it.
‘Regimental Sergeant Major Benton,’ Benton said then added, ‘sixty five.’ Jack shook his hand but couldn’t help letting his gaze wander as he did so.
‘You look well for a pensioner Benton…but I think Yates wins the prize so far.’ Benton quickly removed his hand from Jack’s grip and covered his groin area, his face reddening as he did so.
‘Commodore Harry Sullivan ex Deputy Director of MI5… but you can call me Harry… er sixty eight and some change.’ Both Ianto and Jack shook his hand.
‘Captain Michael Alexander Raymond Yates.’ Jack grabbed his hand and pumped it vigorously. ‘Ex-UNIT member, sixty nine years old.’ Ianto prised Jacks hand from Yates’ and gave him a knowing squeeze as Jacks gaze returned to eye level.
‘Captain Wilfred Mott, late of the Parachute Regiment, or… as we’re all being honest… Special Constable Tom Campbell, your choice.’ Jack shook his hand and turned back to the Brigadier.
‘Well old boy where does this leave us now?’ Thinking for a moment Ianto spoke up.
‘I take it you’re the pensioners that went missing after the attempted mugging?’ The Brigadier nodded.
‘You’ll find them in the grass next to the park bench,’ Benton cut in, and then noticing Jack’s stare dropped his hands back to his groin area.
‘Nice work for an old man, but how…’ he gestured with his hands in the shape of the Brigadiers body.
‘Haven’t a clue old boy. Just woke up here and found we were all younger by at least forty years.’
***
Despite having travelled in the TARDIS previously, Louise Ruth couldn’t believe that the process was so ‘jerry built’. Hanging on for dear life, the deck of the TARDIS slanted from one extreme to the other. She looked on hopefully as the Doctor, in his usual manor, attacked the consol with a wooden mallet, hitting switches and working the bike pump with manic precision.
‘A slight problem but nothing to worry about…. come on… oh no don’t do that…’ The Doctor slammed the mallet against a section of the consol, which began to smoke as sparks spat from within. Without being told, Louise Ruth grabbed the fire extinguisher and covered the smouldering mass in a white cloud of CO². Without warning the TARDIS lurched to one side as if falling from great height.
‘No, no, no.’ franticly he attacked the bike pump for a second time as if trying to inflate a camping mattress before lights out. ‘Come on old girl you can do better than that. Look, behave, we’ve got guests.’
The Sontaran’s normally unflappable demean looked worried. The TARDIS began to undulate like a fairground ride causing the Sontaran to change his complexion from green-brown to just green.
‘Come on you beauty!’ The Doctor shouted as he continued flipping switches and straddling the consol. Flipping up a glass-covered switch the Doctor, sweat poring down his face, gave out a loud sigh and then hit the button underneath.
‘That’s it. She’s all right now. Just a slight hiccup in the time vortex but we’re on course now.’ With that the TARDIS’ consol exploded with a white flash as smoke engulfed everything. The centre of the consol abruptly stopped and the ever-present vibrating ceased. Both Louise Ruth and the Sontaran stared at the Doctor for an explanation.
‘Err… I think we’ve landed.’ Crael strode purposefully towards the door, not bothering to look back. ‘I haven’t checked what’s out there,’ the Doctor shouted across to the Sontaran’s retreating from. Thinking that whatever was out there couldn’t be half as scary as being inside the TARDIS Crael opened the blue door and stepped outside.
‘What’s going on Doctor…I mean…is that normal?’ She pointed to the smoke still bellowing from the centre consol. The Doctor shook his head.
‘From what I can tell…’ He gazed at the scanner lying haphazardly on the consol, while wafting smoke away from it. ‘We’ve been pulled out of the time corridor and sent here…wherever here is…or was…or might be…or…’
‘I get it Doctor, we’re lost and you haven’t a clue where or when we are.’ The Doctor nodded and stepped back away from the consol.
‘Someone’s brought us here for a reason and I mean to know why.’ Louise Ruth thought about this for a while then added her own observation.
‘If they took the trouble to drag us out of the time corridor, something I think you believe is extremely difficult, then whatever it is they want can’t be good.’
Coming to a decision, the Doctor ran towards the open door in the hope of stopping Crael before he left the protective field of the TARDIS. Joining him, Louise Ruth first noticed Crael kneeling in the centre of a clearing, next to two small, green bushes. After a few moments she realised that the small bushes weren’t small bushes at all. They moved and… spoke.
‘What the hell are they?’ Louise asked as she noticed the green bush-like objects begin to circle Crael. On closer inspection, Louise Ruth thought to herself, they resembled large green jellyfish, glowing blobs of bio-matter with long ropy tentacles.
‘They, my friend, are Rutans, sworn enemies of the Sontarans, and we are in the middle of a war that has been going on for a very long time, remember.’
As Crael tried to stand a burst of electricity sprang from on of the Rutans, forcing Crael to scream and fall back on his knees. A harsh, tinny, male voice emanated, from one of the green spheres, the one, Louise Ruth noted, that had fired the bolt of electricity.
‘Scream Sontaran scum scream.’ A second burst of electrical energy engulfed Crael and he fell forward, mercifully unconscious.
‘No, no, no, no!’ The Doctor shouted as he ran to where the Sontaran lay. ‘Why do you have to kill him? Why?’ The green ball of bio matter next to him began to glow.
‘We are the fourth Rutan scout unit and we will destroy any Sontaran, whether he gets in our way or not.’ Rolling towards the Doctor, Louise Ruth knew that the Rutan was about to fire another burst of electricity that would end either the Doctor’s life or the Sontarans’.
Without a second thought Louise Ruth ran towards the Rutan and, with all her strength, kicked it as hard as she could. Taken by surprise, the Rutan, like a football kicked from a penalty spot, rose into the air and exploded into a thousand pieces. Immediately the second Rutan turned towards Louise Ruth only to have its electrical field blocked by the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, which buzzed quietly in his outstretched hand.
‘Before I explode you and send you to the dark side with your companion tell me why you hijacked the TARDIS and what you’ve done with the Earth men and the Sontarans you kidnapped.’ The Rutan began to glow and vibrate. Slowly it began to changed shape.
‘I’m sorry Doctor… I didn’t mean to kill it… it’s just…’ Louise Ruth leant forward towards the Doctor, shame and embarrassment clearly showing on her face.
‘Don’t worry, you weren’t to know. When you kicked the Rutan the change in air pressure caused it to implode. Not your fault at all.’
Turning, they both stared at the Rutan who was now twice the size it had originally been. Growing, it began taking on the outline of a human being with two arms and two legs. Quickly the shape of a man began to immerge from the glowing mass as each section of anatomy began to resemble that of the Doctor. The height and build were identical, only the face was different. With a slight green tinge the Rutan stood naked before them resembling, to all intense and purposes a human.
Rummaging inside one pocket the Doctor removed a pair of 3D glasses and gazed at the Rutan, surprise showing clearly on his face.
‘Brilliant… he’s morphing into a human shape.’ Unperturbed by the grisly metamorphosis going on before him, the Doctor moved closer to the Rutan, circling him to take in as much as he could. Louise Ruth bent down and, not taking her eyes off the Rutan helped the shaken Sontaran to his feet. Standing, but still not too steadily, the Sontaran removed a Velcro strap from his left led and removed a short bar. Lifting it, he pointed it at the almost humanoid Rutan and prepared to fire. Leaving the Sontaran to stand on his own Louise Ruth knocked the bar out of the Sontaran’s hand.
‘We’ve just saved your life. What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Despite his features, Crael managed a pained expression.
‘You don’t know what they’re like. We’ve been at war with them for so long we don’t know anything else.’ Turning to face the Doctor Louise Ruth noticed that the Rutan transformation was almost complete. As it’s eyes opened she gave it an embarrassed smile and waved.
‘Hi Mr Rutan… I’m Louise Ruth and… well… what happened to your… it was…’ The Doctor intervened and, with his usual up beat nature pointed back at the TARDIS.
‘Louise, get the kettle on. I think what’s needed here is a nice cup of tea.’ Louise was just about to depart the area when five more Rutans rolled into position around them.
‘You will follow us.’ The humanoid Rutan stated and, without waiting for an answer, turned and headed off through the undergrowth.
‘Allons-y.’ The Doctor added and headed off after the Rutan, followed by Louise Ruth and Crael. Four Rutan balls of energy followed closely behind to make sure no one would decide that escaping was the better option.
***
It was Jack who heard the footfalls first and both himself and Ianto quickly hid behind the only door in the room and waited. The other five naked men turned towards them, all but Yates covering their genitals. The action was not lost on the Brigadier, who grimaced and shook his head.
Ianto caught Jack’s gaze as he dropped his eyes to follow Yates’s every move. Gently pushing Jack against the wall Ianto was just about to protest when the door to their room burst open almost colliding with them both. In their hiding position, both Jack and Ianto couldn’t see the Sontarans that stood in the doorway, short bar guns pointing at the group of naked men standing before them.
‘My name is General Stam the Destroyer, of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet. You will come with us for conditioning.’ The Brigadier stepped forward wanting to take charge of the situation from the off.
‘Now wait just a moment old boy. Not too sure what’s going on here.’ Harry also stepped forward not wanting to be left out of any conversation that would mark a person as the leader.
‘Why have you kidnapped us and what happened to-’ before Harry could finish the sentence the Sontaran general fired an electric bolt that slammed into his chest, dropping him instantly to the floor. Benton also stepped forward, and in front of the Brigadier, ready to tackle Stam the Destroyer, whatever weapon he was carrying.
‘No Benton… step back.’ Looking at the Brigadier, Benton reluctantly obeyed and took a single step backward distain and anger showing clearly on his face.
‘He is not dead. He is only stunned. Now if you will come with us. All will be explained,’ Stam said, not wishing to damage the humans until the process of transformation had been completed. Yates and Benton hoisted Harry to his feet and carried him out of the room, following the first retreating Sontaran. Tom and the Brigadier followed closely behind. The second Sontaran took up the rear ignoring the room and leaving the door unlocked.
‘It seems they don’t know about the Torchwood contingent. Perhaps we have a surprise hand to play after all,’ the Brigadier whispered to Tom as they headed off down the corridor.
Turning towards Ianto, Jack placed a hand around the back of his neck and smiled. ‘Don’t worry. Captured by the Sontarans, naked, no weapons and friends heading off for conditioning, and you’re worried about me running off with Michael.’ Jack shook his head and, without another word, headed out of the door in the direction the Sontarans had taken.
‘Oh it’s Michael is it? Size isn’t everything you know Jack. It’s just a little chilly right now and…’ Ianto followed closely behind Jack, head constantly turning from side to side, checking that they weren’t being followed.
By the time they reached the end of the corridor, the Brigadier and the others were dressing in what looked like chinos, leather hushpuppies and Polo shirts in a variety of colours. Three Sontarans stood guard while a forth, examined the steel bracelets on each of their wrists, pulling out plastic cards, which appeared to activate them. Quietly watching from their vantage point Jack felt Ianto’s breath on the back of his neck.
‘What are these bracelets for?’ Jack had recognised them immediately and shook his head.
‘It’s a kind of thought controlled weapons system. I’ve seen them before. You just have to think your opponents dead and a beam of pure energy destroys them.’ Ianto looked on in horror.
‘Sounds brutal.’ Then thinking for a moment asked, ‘why don’t we use them to escape?’ Jack smiled and ruffled Ianto’s hair.
‘Unfortunately they won’t work on a Sontaran ship. Something to do with their survival suits and composite of the walls, I’m told. Anyhow… the others probably don’t know what they’ve-’ Jack stopped in mid sentence as two Sontarans entered the room from a second door opposite, pushing a hospital gurney with a shrouded body lying on top. Other Sontarans joined them, each with a gurney held at arms length in front of them. Jack and Ianto immediately recognised the gurneys and knew what lay beneath the cotton sheets.
‘Hold it there,’ General Stam ordered. Aiming his bar gun at the five men he ordered them to stand with their backs to the wall and raise their hands.
‘Don’t worry lads. If they were going to shoot us they’d have done it already.’ The Brigadier stated and backed towards a wall. Immediately steel clamps shot from the wall holding him tightly in place.
‘Just a safety precaution, gentlemen; we wouldn’t want any of you to come to any harm, now would we.’ General Stam spoke as the others, in turn stood with their backs to the wall. Benton helped Harry into place, as he was still not too steady on his legs after being shocked. As with the Brigadier, steel clamps held them fast against the wall, in Harry’s case, keeping him upright. Pressing a series of coloured buttons on one wall a circular disk moved to one side revealing a hole in the wall situated at the same height as the gurneys.
‘This, my friends, is a disintegrator. But don’t worry…’ General Stam quickly added, seeing a look of apprehension cross each man’s face. ‘It’s not for you.’ He paused as if contemplating his next words. ‘Well, so to speak.’ Pulling the cotton sheet from the first body every man in the room gasped in horror. Even Jack felt he had to stifle a shout of anger.
‘What’s going on?’ Ianto asked, not able to see clearly over Jack’s shoulder, but enjoying the feeling of his skin against his as he leaned forward to look.
‘It’s the body of the Brigadier…’ Jack said in a whispered voice, ‘… but old… the one we saw earlier. I think they’re going to disintegrate it.’ Jack fought to stop himself from running into the room and tackling the Sontarans. He knew he would be cut down before he got anywhere near the ex-UNIT soldiers. Without a weapon that worked, both himself and Ianto would be in the disintegrator before he could come back.
As each sheet was removed they revealed the bodies of each ex member of UNIT that stood fastened to the wall before them. The bodies that had talked only hours ago at the army reunion. They were all lifeless old men, lying naked on the gurneys. As each body in turn was loaded into the disintegrator the Brigadier and his men shouted and pleaded for them to stop, until only one body was left. Tipping the gurney on its end, Harry watched as his aged body slipped down into the disintegrator shoot and vanished for good.
‘I am a British Citizen and I demand you tell me the meaning of this.’ The Brigadier insisted, still shocked at seeing his own body, the body he had known for eighty years, vanish in an instant.
‘I thought it was obvious Brigadier. You have been cloned. The bodies you see before you have been grown from a single cell taken from your old bodies.’ Harry processed the information quicker than the others and spoke up with all conviction his MI5 posting had taught him.
‘Why the hell did you want to clone us? I mean… thanks and all that but why?’ Benton was still staring at the disintegrator as the door swung shut. A single tear ran down his cheek knowing that whatever happened next the old Benton was now dead.
Pacing up and down, his bar gun held like a swagger stick, General Stam’s thick podgy face creased into a grin.
‘You, my dear Brigadier, are no longer a British citizen… you are a Sontaran.’
Letting the information sink in Stam dismissed the gurneys with a wave of his bar gun leaving only himself and two other Sontarans.
Hearing a noise from behind them, Ianto pulled Jack round the far corner as a group of naked Sontarans, looking slightly dazed, passed into the room opposite, lead by two more clothed Sontaran guards.
About a dozen short bars stood against the wall hiding their presence from the casual observer. As the door closed behind the last Sontaran Jack threw himself back at the window.
‘Doesn’t anyone wear clothing around here?’ Ianto asked but got no reply. ‘And did you see that? I know it’s chilly but that’s ridiculous.’ Jack was busy watching the proceedings inside the room. Each of the newly arrived Sontarans stood opposite the Brigadier and his men.
‘They’re all clones. They don’t need their genitals to reproduce. Years of inactivity can do that to a man.’ A shiver ran down Ianto’s back. He would make sure it didn’t happen to him… or Jack for that matter.
‘Commence transference.’ General Stam ordered as each soldier removed a headset from below their opposite number and placed it on their oversized heads. Pressing a few buttons caused a metal grill to descend on the Sontarans freezing them in place.
‘Now we have your bodies, perfectly cloned, we will transfer the minds of these Sontaran soldiers into them.’ The Brigadier looked on dumbfounded. Having seen his body destroyed he was now expected to sit back and let his mind be taken over.
‘What happens to us…I mean our minds?’ General Stam again grinned and shook his head.
Looking around, Jack remembered the short bars that stood upright around the corner they had been hiding behind. Silently he took one and checked it for weight, smiling as he did so.
‘Now we have weapons.’ The Sontaran general again strode up and down looking at the tethered ex-UNIT members; he then transferred his gaze to the Sontaran soldiers opposite.
‘I’m afraid that will be of no interest to you. In thirty minutes you and your friends will be no more.’ Hitting a second series of buttons bolts of electricity passed between the Sontarans’ headsets and those of the Brigadier’s men.
‘I can tell you that once the procedure is complete your bodies will be transmatted back to Earth to help the Sontaran race finally defeat the Rutan Host once and for all. Now I must leave. We seemed to have misplaced a number of clones.’ Not wishing to say anymore the Sontaran general turned and, followed by his two guards, left the room.
***
The Doctor was enjoying himself. Standing in a clearing he surveyed the Rutans before him and knew that something important was going to happen. The humanoid Rutan, his skin a naked, shimming pale green, still moist from his transference, strode purposefully towards them.
‘Doctor…’ he looked intently at Louise Ruth and the Doctor, not bothering to even acknowledge the existence of the Sontaran. ‘We are told that your main aim is to bring peace to the galaxy.’ The Doctor looked dumbfounded. Of all the things he expected the Rutan to say, peace was not one of them. The Doctor turned towards Louise Ruth and, in a conspiratorial whisper said,
‘Remember this is the first time you’ve met this race. Dignity and diplomacy in everything you do.’ Louise nodded and motioned towards the advancing Rutan.
‘Ah…yes…peace…well…I may have said something along those lines…er…yes.’ The Doctor pondered, not too sure where this conversation was going. ‘We should all give peace a chance.’ Louise Ruth rolled her eyes and nudged the Doctor in the ribs.
‘They’re talking peace for the first time in 50,000 years and you’re quoting John Lennon to them?’ Louise Ruth shook her head in dismay. Unperturbed the Doctor smiled.
‘They’re universal words we should all hold dear. And…well…besides…I like John Lennon, although that Yoko was a bit much. Did I tell you about the time-’ Louise elbowed him again, this time a little harder. The Doctor looked at the staring Rutan and smiled as he rubbed his side.
‘Ah…yes…’ Moving away from Louise Ruth he studied the surrounding Rutans. He was just about to speak when a blinding flash sent both himself and his companions staggering backward.
When her vision finally returned Louise Ruth saw the Doctor circling a large green ball, twice the size of the other Rutans. Immediately the Rutans present blocked the Doctor’s advances as if protecting the larger, glowing blob of bio-matter. Its long ropy tentacles reached out to the Doctor, sliding up his left leg and over his body. Taking hold of the protruding appendage the Doctor gave it an affectionate pat then carefully let it go.
‘And you must be the Rutan Queen.’ The Doctor gave a formal bow, waving his right hand before him like a Shakespearian actor taking a curtain call. The Rutan queen glowed brightly but remained silent. ‘May I present my travelling companion Louise Ruth, from Earth, 2008 and…’ The Doctor froze when he noticed, for the first time, Crael lying unconscious on the ground. ‘No, no, no.’ The Doctor shouted as he rushed to the fallen Sontaran. Quickly he felt his probic vent and, satisfied that Crael was still lived, turned back towards the queen.
‘Careful Doctor; remember, dignity and diplomacy in everything you do.’ Louise Ruth said with a smile devoid of humour. The Doctor strode purposefully towards the queen; upset showing clearly on his face.
‘What did you do that for? He wasn’t hurting anyone. If you’ve come to talk peace then he was the Sontaran to talk with, not me.’ Three bio-matter balls advanced on the Doctor again blocking his advance.
‘The Sontaran lives; that’s all that should matter to you.’ The queen’s voice thundered out across the clearing. ‘It is you we need to talk peace to…Doctor.’ The Rutan queen paused before saying his name.
Deep down the Doctor knew that the queen remembered what had happened in the lighthouse many years and regenerations ago.
‘We are the Rutan Host and I am their queen…as you said Doctor.’ The glowing ball increased in brightness as it spoke. ‘I have travelled all the way from Rutan 3 to talk with you…Doctor.’ The protean life form continued to glow in a pulsating rhythm that dazzled Louise Ruth, almost hypnotised her. Taking a few steps backward the Doctor found himself standing next to her.
‘What’s the matter Doctor? It’s as if she holds some kind of grudge against you.’ Louise Ruth whispered. The Doctor looked her squarely in the face, a worried expression showing where a smile usually held dominance. ‘Don’t tell me we’re in more bother than we originally were.’
‘No, no, no…well…’ The Doctor leaned in closer whispering in her ear. ‘I did bump into a Rutan once before, in a lighthouse on Fang Rock, but I’m sure she won’t remember. It was a long time ago.’ Louise Ruth grabbed hold of the Doctors shoulders.
‘You killed it didn’t you? There was a Rutan harmlessly wandering around a lighthouse…probably sightseeing…taking in the sea air and you went and killed it.’ Her voice raised in loudness and pitch until the Doctor placed a finger on her lips.
‘Something like that…well there were other people and the Rutan started it…well…I think we’re in a spot of bother.’ Louise Ruth stepped away from him, as if the distance could separate her from whatever the Doctor’s previous crimes against the Rutan Host, were. ‘Anyway…she’ll never remember.’
‘The Rutan you destroyed was part of my hive,’
Louise’s eyes dropped to the ground. ‘Crap,’ was all she said as a nervous Doctor began looking for options.
‘But don’t worry Doctor. We understand war. In fact war is probably all we do understand.’ As the queen’s glow diminished the Doctor gave Louise Ruth a look that said see, nothing to worry about. Walking back towards the queen, the Doctor, hand on chin, pondered the predicament he was in.
‘If that’s the case then why have the Host brought us here?’ The queen’s glow increased as she spoke.
‘Whatever you do, don’t antagonise her or we’ll all be blind, or at least have an interesting sun tan.’ Louise Ruth said, the look of worry never leaving her as she spoke.
‘We, the Rutan Host, have come in peace Doctor. We are sickened by the endless war that has ravaged our planets. We want…peace.’ The Doctor smiled again as he paced up and down, talking to himself as he did so.
‘Ah yes peace. There are many kinds of peace. The big question is which one do you want? Peace in our time, an absence of aggression, violence and hostility, a newly healed inter species relationship, the end to social and economic warfare, the acknowledgement of equality and fairness, the absence of war and conflict, or…or is it peace at any cost? Is peace derived from the total annihilation of the Sontaran race and in so doing bringing about the end of warfare?’ The Doctor stopped his tirade and faced the queen gazing roughly into the centre of the green pulsating mass. The Doctor remained silent as if waiting for an answer. The queen’s glow diminished, as if pondering an answer, as the Doctor looked on.
‘We, Doctor, are a war-like race.’ The silence, preceding the Queen’s words was so intense Louise Ruth took an involuntary jump backward when she began to speak again.
‘The Rutan have become tired of the fighting and killing.’ The Doctor nodded, liking what he was hearing so far. ‘We have made a pact with the Sontaran high command.’ The Doctor began to shake his head. He knew where this was going. ‘All it will take, Doctor, is one last battle; one last fight for peace.’ The Doctor immediately raised both his hands as if trying to get the queen’s attention.
‘No. Don’t you see? The only thing that can be gained by fighting is more fighting and in the end, death and destruction are the only winners. All you have to do to end the war is…is just stop fighting. That’s it, it’s that simple, just say ‘no more fighting’ and let that be an end to it. No grand gestures, no master plans, just stop fighting and it will all end peacefully.’ The queen’s glow began to increase in intensity again.
‘Admirable words Doctor. It is true what they say about you, but we have been at war far too long for that to happen. Both sides will look at their losses and ask why, what was it all for? We must find a solution that will satisfy both sides so no more questions can be asked.’ The Doctor knew that the Rutan had come up with just such a solution but was reluctant to voice his concerns too early in the discussions. Then it came to him, the missing ex-UNIT men, the soldiers Louise Ruth had found in the newspaper and the Rutans morphing into humanoid shapes.
‘You’re going to fight a mini war between five Sontaran warriors and five Rutans, winner takes all.’ The Doctor pranced about in triumph, and then froze. ‘No, no, just wait a minute.’ Turning towards Louise Ruth the Doctor approached her conspiratorially. ‘Have you still got that newspaper you took, when we were back in Stockton, the one with the article about the missing soldiers?’
‘Sort of,’ she replied. The Doctor looked at Louise Ruth questioningly, his hand outstretched. Delving in her shoulder bag, she produced what was left of the paper and handed it over to the Doctor, embarrassment showing clearly on her face. Examining the paper the Doctor looked at Louise Ruth questioningly.
‘Woah, what happened to it?’ Turning the pages over the Doctor noticed it had been ripped into single sheets. Louise Ruth’s reply began in a whispered tone but increased in intensity as she talked. Removing a biro from the depths of her shoulder bag she gestured with it.
‘Would you believe I wanted to do the crossword?’ The Doctor shook his head. Replacing the biro she looked at the Doctor as if it was all his fault. ‘I told you we’d run out of toilet paper but would you listen to me, no. You haven’t noticed and Crael probably hasn’t had a shit in his entire life.’
Embarrassed by Louise Ruth’s outburst the Doctor turned his attention back to what was left of the Daily Mirror in his hands. Smiling he found the sheet he wanted and handed the rest back to his red faced companion. Picking out a few useful sheets for emergency purposes only she casually discarded the rest. As the Doctor read, his smile increased and he nodded his understanding.
‘If I understand this correctly the Sontarans have cloned five ex-UNIT soldiers of some renown, and five of the Rutan Host have morphed into humanoid shapes. These were five soldiers on their way to Hereford in the back of a Bedford van. So…taking this one step further…if you plan to fight this war on neutral ground...’ The Doctor stopped and glared at the Rutan queen. ‘You plan to fight your little war on Earth, five Rutans pitted against five Sontaran clones, all resembling Earthmen. Then last man standing wins.’ The Rutan queen glowed softly.
‘Excellent Doctor, well thought out, very good indeed. It seems that everything I’ve heard about you is true, but there is one thing you’re forgetting.’ The Doctor turned, looked at Louise Ruth for a moment and passed the torn section of newspaper back to her. He then looked back towards the queen, still thinking as he turned.
‘Yes… one last thing.’ The Doctor said, ‘Every sporting event needs an umpire. I’m the referee, the neutral species.’
The Magnificent Seven Transmat 4/7
Characters: Jack/Ianto, The Doctor (10), OFC, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Benton, Harry Sullivan, Michael Yates, Wilfred Mott/Tom Campbell
Parings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine
Summary: Someone is stealing soldiers
Spoilers: All Torchwood, including Children of Earth, all Doctor Who
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Talk of nudity
A/N: This answers the questions. Well… my questions anyway.
A/N2: This is a sequel to Doctor Who and The Infernal Inferno. You don’t have to read it, but it explains where the OC came from.
Prologue - Old Soldiers
The Brigadier felt good. In fact he felt better than he’d felt in a long time. This would be a positive but for the fact that he couldn’t remember how he had ended up in this room.
Preparing himself for the pain that always came after inactivity or sleep, he gently pulled himself up into a sitting position. The curious thing was… like the absence of the dog in the night, there was no pain. No discomfort, no shooting, protesting agony that accompanied his every movement. Wiping a hand across his forehead he also noticed that the cut Harry had taped up had gone.
‘How long have I been unconscious?’ he thought to himself as he stood and gazed around the room. The first thing he noticed as he got to his feet, well… more like felt, was that he was naked. Looking around for a blanket or towel he was disappointed to find that nothing in the immediate vicinity could be used to cover his modesty. Noticing a sink to his right he walked over to it and turned on the tap.
Taking a handful of water he splashed himself letting the cold liquid run down his face. Staring at the mirror in front of him he was stunned by his own reflection. He had expected to see an eighty-year-old man staring back at him but what he found was quite different. His hair was as black as a raven’s wing and matching moustache covering his top lip, the Brigadier stared back at his own reflection forty years ago. Looking down at his hands, then back up at his image he looked roughly twenty, perhaps twenty-five years old.
‘Oh boy,’ he said, mimicking Sam Becket from the TV show Quantum Leap. ‘What is going on?’ Holding his right arm up, he realised that he wasn’t totally naked. Wrapped around the arm was a steel bracelet with a number of switches and lights running down one side. ‘Curiouser and curiouser said Alice,’ the Brigadier mused to himself.
Just then a flash of white light filled the room behind him, crackling and spitting, as four other men were transmatted in. One at a time they gained their feet, a little unsteady but fully aware of their surroundings. Standing in front of him was a young Benton, Harry, Yates and, of all people, Special Constable Tom Campbell.
Placing his hands between his legs out of self-consciousness, the Brigadier stared back at the four naked men, all standing and staring back at him. Each man had a similar bracelet wrapped around their right arm.
‘A little chilly Brigadier, what,’ Harry said noticing the naked man in front of him for the first time.
‘Yates, turn around and get away from Sullivan. One more word from you Harry and I’ll have you up on a charge. Benton… a full report… quickly man we haven’t got all day.’
Benton was just about to state categorically that he hadn’t a clue what was going on when the room was filled with bright light for a second time and two more bodies appeared. The first naked figure rose from he ground in a parody of the film Terminator. Gazing around the room, the figure was quickly joined by the second man, also naked.
‘Ianto…you shouldn’t have. For me? How did you know it was my birthday?’ Captain Jack Harkness said with a smile as he gazed at the five naked men standing before him.
‘Captain Yates, eyes above waist level man.’ The Brigadier announced in a sharp tone on noticing Yates’ gaze wandering.
‘Captain Yates, old boy…‘ Jack said with a smile, ‘very nicely turned out. I’d like to see you bring those privates to attention.’ Ianto stepped forward blocking out Jack’s line of sight.
‘I think introductions are in order…’ The Brigadier said not sure whether to extend a hand in greeting or not. ‘I’m General Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart but you can address me as Brigadier. Everyone else seems to.’
‘A little young to be a general don’t you think?’ Jack said realising the irony of the statement as he said it. He was older than the combined age of every man present.
‘I’m actually eighty years old, retired. Don’t ask me how I ended up looking like one of Yates’ lap dancers.’ Jack’s normal smile turned into a frown.
‘You’re the General Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart; UNIT’s top man in the sixties, seventies and eighties. We met on a few occasions, but… you look great.’ The Brigadier nodded, remembering where he’d seen Jack and the warnings he’d been given to avoid him. Ianto offered a hand and the Brigadier took it in a surprisingly strong grip.
‘Ianto Jones, twenty six and this is Captain Jack Harkness of undetermined age, both late of Torchwood Three.’ Jack nudged passed Ianto offering his hand to anyone that would take it.
‘Regimental Sergeant Major Benton,’ Benton said then added, ‘sixty five.’ Jack shook his hand but couldn’t help letting his gaze wander as he did so.
‘You look well for a pensioner Benton…but I think Yates wins the prize so far.’ Benton quickly removed his hand from Jack’s grip and covered his groin area, his face reddening as he did so.
‘Commodore Harry Sullivan ex Deputy Director of MI5… but you can call me Harry… er sixty eight and some change.’ Both Ianto and Jack shook his hand.
‘Captain Michael Alexander Raymond Yates.’ Jack grabbed his hand and pumped it vigorously. ‘Ex-UNIT member, sixty nine years old.’ Ianto prised Jacks hand from Yates’ and gave him a knowing squeeze as Jacks gaze returned to eye level.
‘Captain Wilfred Mott, late of the Parachute Regiment, or… as we’re all being honest… Special Constable Tom Campbell, your choice.’ Jack shook his hand and turned back to the Brigadier.
‘Well old boy where does this leave us now?’ Thinking for a moment Ianto spoke up.
‘I take it you’re the pensioners that went missing after the attempted mugging?’ The Brigadier nodded.
‘You’ll find them in the grass next to the park bench,’ Benton cut in, and then noticing Jack’s stare dropped his hands back to his groin area.
‘Nice work for an old man, but how…’ he gestured with his hands in the shape of the Brigadiers body.
‘Haven’t a clue old boy. Just woke up here and found we were all younger by at least forty years.’
***
Despite having travelled in the TARDIS previously, Louise Ruth couldn’t believe that the process was so ‘jerry built’. Hanging on for dear life, the deck of the TARDIS slanted from one extreme to the other. She looked on hopefully as the Doctor, in his usual manor, attacked the consol with a wooden mallet, hitting switches and working the bike pump with manic precision.
‘A slight problem but nothing to worry about…. come on… oh no don’t do that…’ The Doctor slammed the mallet against a section of the consol, which began to smoke as sparks spat from within. Without being told, Louise Ruth grabbed the fire extinguisher and covered the smouldering mass in a white cloud of CO². Without warning the TARDIS lurched to one side as if falling from great height.
‘No, no, no.’ franticly he attacked the bike pump for a second time as if trying to inflate a camping mattress before lights out. ‘Come on old girl you can do better than that. Look, behave, we’ve got guests.’
The Sontaran’s normally unflappable demean looked worried. The TARDIS began to undulate like a fairground ride causing the Sontaran to change his complexion from green-brown to just green.
‘Come on you beauty!’ The Doctor shouted as he continued flipping switches and straddling the consol. Flipping up a glass-covered switch the Doctor, sweat poring down his face, gave out a loud sigh and then hit the button underneath.
‘That’s it. She’s all right now. Just a slight hiccup in the time vortex but we’re on course now.’ With that the TARDIS’ consol exploded with a white flash as smoke engulfed everything. The centre of the consol abruptly stopped and the ever-present vibrating ceased. Both Louise Ruth and the Sontaran stared at the Doctor for an explanation.
‘Err… I think we’ve landed.’ Crael strode purposefully towards the door, not bothering to look back. ‘I haven’t checked what’s out there,’ the Doctor shouted across to the Sontaran’s retreating from. Thinking that whatever was out there couldn’t be half as scary as being inside the TARDIS Crael opened the blue door and stepped outside.
‘What’s going on Doctor…I mean…is that normal?’ She pointed to the smoke still bellowing from the centre consol. The Doctor shook his head.
‘From what I can tell…’ He gazed at the scanner lying haphazardly on the consol, while wafting smoke away from it. ‘We’ve been pulled out of the time corridor and sent here…wherever here is…or was…or might be…or…’
‘I get it Doctor, we’re lost and you haven’t a clue where or when we are.’ The Doctor nodded and stepped back away from the consol.
‘Someone’s brought us here for a reason and I mean to know why.’ Louise Ruth thought about this for a while then added her own observation.
‘If they took the trouble to drag us out of the time corridor, something I think you believe is extremely difficult, then whatever it is they want can’t be good.’
Coming to a decision, the Doctor ran towards the open door in the hope of stopping Crael before he left the protective field of the TARDIS. Joining him, Louise Ruth first noticed Crael kneeling in the centre of a clearing, next to two small, green bushes. After a few moments she realised that the small bushes weren’t small bushes at all. They moved and… spoke.
‘What the hell are they?’ Louise asked as she noticed the green bush-like objects begin to circle Crael. On closer inspection, Louise Ruth thought to herself, they resembled large green jellyfish, glowing blobs of bio-matter with long ropy tentacles.
‘They, my friend, are Rutans, sworn enemies of the Sontarans, and we are in the middle of a war that has been going on for a very long time, remember.’
As Crael tried to stand a burst of electricity sprang from on of the Rutans, forcing Crael to scream and fall back on his knees. A harsh, tinny, male voice emanated, from one of the green spheres, the one, Louise Ruth noted, that had fired the bolt of electricity.
‘Scream Sontaran scum scream.’ A second burst of electrical energy engulfed Crael and he fell forward, mercifully unconscious.
‘No, no, no, no!’ The Doctor shouted as he ran to where the Sontaran lay. ‘Why do you have to kill him? Why?’ The green ball of bio matter next to him began to glow.
‘We are the fourth Rutan scout unit and we will destroy any Sontaran, whether he gets in our way or not.’ Rolling towards the Doctor, Louise Ruth knew that the Rutan was about to fire another burst of electricity that would end either the Doctor’s life or the Sontarans’.
Without a second thought Louise Ruth ran towards the Rutan and, with all her strength, kicked it as hard as she could. Taken by surprise, the Rutan, like a football kicked from a penalty spot, rose into the air and exploded into a thousand pieces. Immediately the second Rutan turned towards Louise Ruth only to have its electrical field blocked by the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver, which buzzed quietly in his outstretched hand.
‘Before I explode you and send you to the dark side with your companion tell me why you hijacked the TARDIS and what you’ve done with the Earth men and the Sontarans you kidnapped.’ The Rutan began to glow and vibrate. Slowly it began to changed shape.
‘I’m sorry Doctor… I didn’t mean to kill it… it’s just…’ Louise Ruth leant forward towards the Doctor, shame and embarrassment clearly showing on her face.
‘Don’t worry, you weren’t to know. When you kicked the Rutan the change in air pressure caused it to implode. Not your fault at all.’
Turning, they both stared at the Rutan who was now twice the size it had originally been. Growing, it began taking on the outline of a human being with two arms and two legs. Quickly the shape of a man began to immerge from the glowing mass as each section of anatomy began to resemble that of the Doctor. The height and build were identical, only the face was different. With a slight green tinge the Rutan stood naked before them resembling, to all intense and purposes a human.
Rummaging inside one pocket the Doctor removed a pair of 3D glasses and gazed at the Rutan, surprise showing clearly on his face.
‘Brilliant… he’s morphing into a human shape.’ Unperturbed by the grisly metamorphosis going on before him, the Doctor moved closer to the Rutan, circling him to take in as much as he could. Louise Ruth bent down and, not taking her eyes off the Rutan helped the shaken Sontaran to his feet. Standing, but still not too steadily, the Sontaran removed a Velcro strap from his left led and removed a short bar. Lifting it, he pointed it at the almost humanoid Rutan and prepared to fire. Leaving the Sontaran to stand on his own Louise Ruth knocked the bar out of the Sontaran’s hand.
‘We’ve just saved your life. What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Despite his features, Crael managed a pained expression.
‘You don’t know what they’re like. We’ve been at war with them for so long we don’t know anything else.’ Turning to face the Doctor Louise Ruth noticed that the Rutan transformation was almost complete. As it’s eyes opened she gave it an embarrassed smile and waved.
‘Hi Mr Rutan… I’m Louise Ruth and… well… what happened to your… it was…’ The Doctor intervened and, with his usual up beat nature pointed back at the TARDIS.
‘Louise, get the kettle on. I think what’s needed here is a nice cup of tea.’ Louise was just about to depart the area when five more Rutans rolled into position around them.
‘You will follow us.’ The humanoid Rutan stated and, without waiting for an answer, turned and headed off through the undergrowth.
‘Allons-y.’ The Doctor added and headed off after the Rutan, followed by Louise Ruth and Crael. Four Rutan balls of energy followed closely behind to make sure no one would decide that escaping was the better option.
***
It was Jack who heard the footfalls first and both himself and Ianto quickly hid behind the only door in the room and waited. The other five naked men turned towards them, all but Yates covering their genitals. The action was not lost on the Brigadier, who grimaced and shook his head.
Ianto caught Jack’s gaze as he dropped his eyes to follow Yates’s every move. Gently pushing Jack against the wall Ianto was just about to protest when the door to their room burst open almost colliding with them both. In their hiding position, both Jack and Ianto couldn’t see the Sontarans that stood in the doorway, short bar guns pointing at the group of naked men standing before them.
‘My name is General Stam the Destroyer, of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet. You will come with us for conditioning.’ The Brigadier stepped forward wanting to take charge of the situation from the off.
‘Now wait just a moment old boy. Not too sure what’s going on here.’ Harry also stepped forward not wanting to be left out of any conversation that would mark a person as the leader.
‘Why have you kidnapped us and what happened to-’ before Harry could finish the sentence the Sontaran general fired an electric bolt that slammed into his chest, dropping him instantly to the floor. Benton also stepped forward, and in front of the Brigadier, ready to tackle Stam the Destroyer, whatever weapon he was carrying.
‘No Benton… step back.’ Looking at the Brigadier, Benton reluctantly obeyed and took a single step backward distain and anger showing clearly on his face.
‘He is not dead. He is only stunned. Now if you will come with us. All will be explained,’ Stam said, not wishing to damage the humans until the process of transformation had been completed. Yates and Benton hoisted Harry to his feet and carried him out of the room, following the first retreating Sontaran. Tom and the Brigadier followed closely behind. The second Sontaran took up the rear ignoring the room and leaving the door unlocked.
‘It seems they don’t know about the Torchwood contingent. Perhaps we have a surprise hand to play after all,’ the Brigadier whispered to Tom as they headed off down the corridor.
Turning towards Ianto, Jack placed a hand around the back of his neck and smiled. ‘Don’t worry. Captured by the Sontarans, naked, no weapons and friends heading off for conditioning, and you’re worried about me running off with Michael.’ Jack shook his head and, without another word, headed out of the door in the direction the Sontarans had taken.
‘Oh it’s Michael is it? Size isn’t everything you know Jack. It’s just a little chilly right now and…’ Ianto followed closely behind Jack, head constantly turning from side to side, checking that they weren’t being followed.
By the time they reached the end of the corridor, the Brigadier and the others were dressing in what looked like chinos, leather hushpuppies and Polo shirts in a variety of colours. Three Sontarans stood guard while a forth, examined the steel bracelets on each of their wrists, pulling out plastic cards, which appeared to activate them. Quietly watching from their vantage point Jack felt Ianto’s breath on the back of his neck.
‘What are these bracelets for?’ Jack had recognised them immediately and shook his head.
‘It’s a kind of thought controlled weapons system. I’ve seen them before. You just have to think your opponents dead and a beam of pure energy destroys them.’ Ianto looked on in horror.
‘Sounds brutal.’ Then thinking for a moment asked, ‘why don’t we use them to escape?’ Jack smiled and ruffled Ianto’s hair.
‘Unfortunately they won’t work on a Sontaran ship. Something to do with their survival suits and composite of the walls, I’m told. Anyhow… the others probably don’t know what they’ve-’ Jack stopped in mid sentence as two Sontarans entered the room from a second door opposite, pushing a hospital gurney with a shrouded body lying on top. Other Sontarans joined them, each with a gurney held at arms length in front of them. Jack and Ianto immediately recognised the gurneys and knew what lay beneath the cotton sheets.
‘Hold it there,’ General Stam ordered. Aiming his bar gun at the five men he ordered them to stand with their backs to the wall and raise their hands.
‘Don’t worry lads. If they were going to shoot us they’d have done it already.’ The Brigadier stated and backed towards a wall. Immediately steel clamps shot from the wall holding him tightly in place.
‘Just a safety precaution, gentlemen; we wouldn’t want any of you to come to any harm, now would we.’ General Stam spoke as the others, in turn stood with their backs to the wall. Benton helped Harry into place, as he was still not too steady on his legs after being shocked. As with the Brigadier, steel clamps held them fast against the wall, in Harry’s case, keeping him upright. Pressing a series of coloured buttons on one wall a circular disk moved to one side revealing a hole in the wall situated at the same height as the gurneys.
‘This, my friends, is a disintegrator. But don’t worry…’ General Stam quickly added, seeing a look of apprehension cross each man’s face. ‘It’s not for you.’ He paused as if contemplating his next words. ‘Well, so to speak.’ Pulling the cotton sheet from the first body every man in the room gasped in horror. Even Jack felt he had to stifle a shout of anger.
‘What’s going on?’ Ianto asked, not able to see clearly over Jack’s shoulder, but enjoying the feeling of his skin against his as he leaned forward to look.
‘It’s the body of the Brigadier…’ Jack said in a whispered voice, ‘… but old… the one we saw earlier. I think they’re going to disintegrate it.’ Jack fought to stop himself from running into the room and tackling the Sontarans. He knew he would be cut down before he got anywhere near the ex-UNIT soldiers. Without a weapon that worked, both himself and Ianto would be in the disintegrator before he could come back.
As each sheet was removed they revealed the bodies of each ex member of UNIT that stood fastened to the wall before them. The bodies that had talked only hours ago at the army reunion. They were all lifeless old men, lying naked on the gurneys. As each body in turn was loaded into the disintegrator the Brigadier and his men shouted and pleaded for them to stop, until only one body was left. Tipping the gurney on its end, Harry watched as his aged body slipped down into the disintegrator shoot and vanished for good.
‘I am a British Citizen and I demand you tell me the meaning of this.’ The Brigadier insisted, still shocked at seeing his own body, the body he had known for eighty years, vanish in an instant.
‘I thought it was obvious Brigadier. You have been cloned. The bodies you see before you have been grown from a single cell taken from your old bodies.’ Harry processed the information quicker than the others and spoke up with all conviction his MI5 posting had taught him.
‘Why the hell did you want to clone us? I mean… thanks and all that but why?’ Benton was still staring at the disintegrator as the door swung shut. A single tear ran down his cheek knowing that whatever happened next the old Benton was now dead.
Pacing up and down, his bar gun held like a swagger stick, General Stam’s thick podgy face creased into a grin.
‘You, my dear Brigadier, are no longer a British citizen… you are a Sontaran.’
Letting the information sink in Stam dismissed the gurneys with a wave of his bar gun leaving only himself and two other Sontarans.
Hearing a noise from behind them, Ianto pulled Jack round the far corner as a group of naked Sontarans, looking slightly dazed, passed into the room opposite, lead by two more clothed Sontaran guards.
About a dozen short bars stood against the wall hiding their presence from the casual observer. As the door closed behind the last Sontaran Jack threw himself back at the window.
‘Doesn’t anyone wear clothing around here?’ Ianto asked but got no reply. ‘And did you see that? I know it’s chilly but that’s ridiculous.’ Jack was busy watching the proceedings inside the room. Each of the newly arrived Sontarans stood opposite the Brigadier and his men.
‘They’re all clones. They don’t need their genitals to reproduce. Years of inactivity can do that to a man.’ A shiver ran down Ianto’s back. He would make sure it didn’t happen to him… or Jack for that matter.
‘Commence transference.’ General Stam ordered as each soldier removed a headset from below their opposite number and placed it on their oversized heads. Pressing a few buttons caused a metal grill to descend on the Sontarans freezing them in place.
‘Now we have your bodies, perfectly cloned, we will transfer the minds of these Sontaran soldiers into them.’ The Brigadier looked on dumbfounded. Having seen his body destroyed he was now expected to sit back and let his mind be taken over.
‘What happens to us…I mean our minds?’ General Stam again grinned and shook his head.
Looking around, Jack remembered the short bars that stood upright around the corner they had been hiding behind. Silently he took one and checked it for weight, smiling as he did so.
‘Now we have weapons.’ The Sontaran general again strode up and down looking at the tethered ex-UNIT members; he then transferred his gaze to the Sontaran soldiers opposite.
‘I’m afraid that will be of no interest to you. In thirty minutes you and your friends will be no more.’ Hitting a second series of buttons bolts of electricity passed between the Sontarans’ headsets and those of the Brigadier’s men.
‘I can tell you that once the procedure is complete your bodies will be transmatted back to Earth to help the Sontaran race finally defeat the Rutan Host once and for all. Now I must leave. We seemed to have misplaced a number of clones.’ Not wishing to say anymore the Sontaran general turned and, followed by his two guards, left the room.
***
The Doctor was enjoying himself. Standing in a clearing he surveyed the Rutans before him and knew that something important was going to happen. The humanoid Rutan, his skin a naked, shimming pale green, still moist from his transference, strode purposefully towards them.
‘Doctor…’ he looked intently at Louise Ruth and the Doctor, not bothering to even acknowledge the existence of the Sontaran. ‘We are told that your main aim is to bring peace to the galaxy.’ The Doctor looked dumbfounded. Of all the things he expected the Rutan to say, peace was not one of them. The Doctor turned towards Louise Ruth and, in a conspiratorial whisper said,
‘Remember this is the first time you’ve met this race. Dignity and diplomacy in everything you do.’ Louise nodded and motioned towards the advancing Rutan.
‘Ah…yes…peace…well…I may have said something along those lines…er…yes.’ The Doctor pondered, not too sure where this conversation was going. ‘We should all give peace a chance.’ Louise Ruth rolled her eyes and nudged the Doctor in the ribs.
‘They’re talking peace for the first time in 50,000 years and you’re quoting John Lennon to them?’ Louise Ruth shook her head in dismay. Unperturbed the Doctor smiled.
‘They’re universal words we should all hold dear. And…well…besides…I like John Lennon, although that Yoko was a bit much. Did I tell you about the time-’ Louise elbowed him again, this time a little harder. The Doctor looked at the staring Rutan and smiled as he rubbed his side.
‘Ah…yes…’ Moving away from Louise Ruth he studied the surrounding Rutans. He was just about to speak when a blinding flash sent both himself and his companions staggering backward.
When her vision finally returned Louise Ruth saw the Doctor circling a large green ball, twice the size of the other Rutans. Immediately the Rutans present blocked the Doctor’s advances as if protecting the larger, glowing blob of bio-matter. Its long ropy tentacles reached out to the Doctor, sliding up his left leg and over his body. Taking hold of the protruding appendage the Doctor gave it an affectionate pat then carefully let it go.
‘And you must be the Rutan Queen.’ The Doctor gave a formal bow, waving his right hand before him like a Shakespearian actor taking a curtain call. The Rutan queen glowed brightly but remained silent. ‘May I present my travelling companion Louise Ruth, from Earth, 2008 and…’ The Doctor froze when he noticed, for the first time, Crael lying unconscious on the ground. ‘No, no, no.’ The Doctor shouted as he rushed to the fallen Sontaran. Quickly he felt his probic vent and, satisfied that Crael was still lived, turned back towards the queen.
‘Careful Doctor; remember, dignity and diplomacy in everything you do.’ Louise Ruth said with a smile devoid of humour. The Doctor strode purposefully towards the queen; upset showing clearly on his face.
‘What did you do that for? He wasn’t hurting anyone. If you’ve come to talk peace then he was the Sontaran to talk with, not me.’ Three bio-matter balls advanced on the Doctor again blocking his advance.
‘The Sontaran lives; that’s all that should matter to you.’ The queen’s voice thundered out across the clearing. ‘It is you we need to talk peace to…Doctor.’ The Rutan queen paused before saying his name.
Deep down the Doctor knew that the queen remembered what had happened in the lighthouse many years and regenerations ago.
‘We are the Rutan Host and I am their queen…as you said Doctor.’ The glowing ball increased in brightness as it spoke. ‘I have travelled all the way from Rutan 3 to talk with you…Doctor.’ The protean life form continued to glow in a pulsating rhythm that dazzled Louise Ruth, almost hypnotised her. Taking a few steps backward the Doctor found himself standing next to her.
‘What’s the matter Doctor? It’s as if she holds some kind of grudge against you.’ Louise Ruth whispered. The Doctor looked her squarely in the face, a worried expression showing where a smile usually held dominance. ‘Don’t tell me we’re in more bother than we originally were.’
‘No, no, no…well…’ The Doctor leaned in closer whispering in her ear. ‘I did bump into a Rutan once before, in a lighthouse on Fang Rock, but I’m sure she won’t remember. It was a long time ago.’ Louise Ruth grabbed hold of the Doctors shoulders.
‘You killed it didn’t you? There was a Rutan harmlessly wandering around a lighthouse…probably sightseeing…taking in the sea air and you went and killed it.’ Her voice raised in loudness and pitch until the Doctor placed a finger on her lips.
‘Something like that…well there were other people and the Rutan started it…well…I think we’re in a spot of bother.’ Louise Ruth stepped away from him, as if the distance could separate her from whatever the Doctor’s previous crimes against the Rutan Host, were. ‘Anyway…she’ll never remember.’
‘The Rutan you destroyed was part of my hive,’
Louise’s eyes dropped to the ground. ‘Crap,’ was all she said as a nervous Doctor began looking for options.
‘But don’t worry Doctor. We understand war. In fact war is probably all we do understand.’ As the queen’s glow diminished the Doctor gave Louise Ruth a look that said see, nothing to worry about. Walking back towards the queen, the Doctor, hand on chin, pondered the predicament he was in.
‘If that’s the case then why have the Host brought us here?’ The queen’s glow increased as she spoke.
‘Whatever you do, don’t antagonise her or we’ll all be blind, or at least have an interesting sun tan.’ Louise Ruth said, the look of worry never leaving her as she spoke.
‘We, the Rutan Host, have come in peace Doctor. We are sickened by the endless war that has ravaged our planets. We want…peace.’ The Doctor smiled again as he paced up and down, talking to himself as he did so.
‘Ah yes peace. There are many kinds of peace. The big question is which one do you want? Peace in our time, an absence of aggression, violence and hostility, a newly healed inter species relationship, the end to social and economic warfare, the acknowledgement of equality and fairness, the absence of war and conflict, or…or is it peace at any cost? Is peace derived from the total annihilation of the Sontaran race and in so doing bringing about the end of warfare?’ The Doctor stopped his tirade and faced the queen gazing roughly into the centre of the green pulsating mass. The Doctor remained silent as if waiting for an answer. The queen’s glow diminished, as if pondering an answer, as the Doctor looked on.
‘We, Doctor, are a war-like race.’ The silence, preceding the Queen’s words was so intense Louise Ruth took an involuntary jump backward when she began to speak again.
‘The Rutan have become tired of the fighting and killing.’ The Doctor nodded, liking what he was hearing so far. ‘We have made a pact with the Sontaran high command.’ The Doctor began to shake his head. He knew where this was going. ‘All it will take, Doctor, is one last battle; one last fight for peace.’ The Doctor immediately raised both his hands as if trying to get the queen’s attention.
‘No. Don’t you see? The only thing that can be gained by fighting is more fighting and in the end, death and destruction are the only winners. All you have to do to end the war is…is just stop fighting. That’s it, it’s that simple, just say ‘no more fighting’ and let that be an end to it. No grand gestures, no master plans, just stop fighting and it will all end peacefully.’ The queen’s glow began to increase in intensity again.
‘Admirable words Doctor. It is true what they say about you, but we have been at war far too long for that to happen. Both sides will look at their losses and ask why, what was it all for? We must find a solution that will satisfy both sides so no more questions can be asked.’ The Doctor knew that the Rutan had come up with just such a solution but was reluctant to voice his concerns too early in the discussions. Then it came to him, the missing ex-UNIT men, the soldiers Louise Ruth had found in the newspaper and the Rutans morphing into humanoid shapes.
‘You’re going to fight a mini war between five Sontaran warriors and five Rutans, winner takes all.’ The Doctor pranced about in triumph, and then froze. ‘No, no, just wait a minute.’ Turning towards Louise Ruth the Doctor approached her conspiratorially. ‘Have you still got that newspaper you took, when we were back in Stockton, the one with the article about the missing soldiers?’
‘Sort of,’ she replied. The Doctor looked at Louise Ruth questioningly, his hand outstretched. Delving in her shoulder bag, she produced what was left of the paper and handed it over to the Doctor, embarrassment showing clearly on her face. Examining the paper the Doctor looked at Louise Ruth questioningly.
‘Woah, what happened to it?’ Turning the pages over the Doctor noticed it had been ripped into single sheets. Louise Ruth’s reply began in a whispered tone but increased in intensity as she talked. Removing a biro from the depths of her shoulder bag she gestured with it.
‘Would you believe I wanted to do the crossword?’ The Doctor shook his head. Replacing the biro she looked at the Doctor as if it was all his fault. ‘I told you we’d run out of toilet paper but would you listen to me, no. You haven’t noticed and Crael probably hasn’t had a shit in his entire life.’
Embarrassed by Louise Ruth’s outburst the Doctor turned his attention back to what was left of the Daily Mirror in his hands. Smiling he found the sheet he wanted and handed the rest back to his red faced companion. Picking out a few useful sheets for emergency purposes only she casually discarded the rest. As the Doctor read, his smile increased and he nodded his understanding.
‘If I understand this correctly the Sontarans have cloned five ex-UNIT soldiers of some renown, and five of the Rutan Host have morphed into humanoid shapes. These were five soldiers on their way to Hereford in the back of a Bedford van. So…taking this one step further…if you plan to fight this war on neutral ground...’ The Doctor stopped and glared at the Rutan queen. ‘You plan to fight your little war on Earth, five Rutans pitted against five Sontaran clones, all resembling Earthmen. Then last man standing wins.’ The Rutan queen glowed softly.
‘Excellent Doctor, well thought out, very good indeed. It seems that everything I’ve heard about you is true, but there is one thing you’re forgetting.’ The Doctor turned, looked at Louise Ruth for a moment and passed the torn section of newspaper back to her. He then looked back towards the queen, still thinking as he turned.
‘Yes… one last thing.’ The Doctor said, ‘Every sporting event needs an umpire. I’m the referee, the neutral species.’
The Magnificent Seven Transmat 4/7