Doctor Who and the Star of Arcadia - The Star Point in the Den of the Eocenes 9/16

Nov 25, 2009 06:47

Title: Doctor Who and the Star of Arcadia - The Star Point in the Den of the Eocenes 9/16
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, The Doctor (10), OFC, OMCs, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Benton, Johnson
Pairings: Jack/Ianto
Disclaimer: Neither Torchwood or Doctor Who are mine
Summary: In the Citadel of the Time Lords, about 250 million light years away from Earth, a number of elements were protected in case they fell into the wrong hands. If an exhibit was deemed to be powerful enough to corrupt in the wrong hands it was usually destroyed, or if that was found to be impossible, it was split into segments and kept apart from itself in case it were stolen.
Spoilers: Children of Earth
Rating: PG-13
A/N: This is a sequel to Doctor Who’s End Game. The Whole thing starts with Doctor Who and the Cathedral of Light.

Prologue here

Having followed the Brigadier’s route, Sergeant Barrett found a way out into the night, the cool breeze revitalising him. A small stream ran not too far from his exit position and he was able to fill all three water bottles and took copious amounts on board himself. As the sun began to rise he realised that it had been night time while they’d been wandering around in the dark.

To his right he noticed a farm house and quickly checking the area cautiously made his way towards it. Drawing the 9mm Sig Sauer P226 Navy from its holster he advanced with caution towards the building. Having been a Navy Seal, crawling through the countryside in the dark was second nature to him and somewhere deep down he was enjoying the experience.

The owners of the farm house were nowhere to be seen so after tripping the lock, a quick examination of their fridge proved fruitful. Filling his backpack he returned to the underground cave system refreshed and ready to finish this particularly strange assignment.

He decided to check on the doorway before returning to the Brigadier and Benton hopefully with the star point if he could manage it. To his surprise he noticed a single figure walk passed him in the dark carrying a map. The figure walked directly up to the door way and paused as if he’d done this many times before. Standing against the wall he looked up and was immediately bathed in a red light that shone down on him from the ceiling. Behind him, the doorway Barrett and seen earlier, slid open and rather than being shocked the man turned and headed through the now open door way.

Dropping his backpack and water bottles, Barrett slowly and cautiously made his way to the door way and stood where the man had stood but to his surprise and disappointment nothing happened. After pondering on the problem he came to the conclusion that the man had used some kind of device to open it, or at least it had recognised the fact that it had been him and he’d been expected.

A grinding noise drew his attention and he realised, almost too late that the door was opening. Throwing himself into a darkened corner he waited until the door slid fully open for a second time and watched as the man walked out carrying a silver object in his hand. The door had closed long before the man had moved out of range so Barrett waited in the shadows until it was clear. Heading back to the place were he’d left the water bottles and backpack he threw them over his shoulder and, removing his compass, followed the needle back to where he’d left the Brigadier and Benton, hopefully still asleep.

As he came to a fork in the tunnel he remembered which way he needed to go and moved back against the stone wall and followed it around until he came upon Sergeant Benton, his Glock 17 aimed in his direction. Nodding Benton holstered the pistol and accepted the water with glee.

‘Well done sergeant,’ the Brigadier said as he accepted half a chicken out of Barrett’s backpack, to chew on. The colour had returned to his face and the fever that had gripped him the previous night seemed to have dissipated to an extent. Benton chewed and swallowed two cheese and tomato sandwiches, one handed, washed down with a mouth full of water and remained quiet as he ate.

A noise to their left halted their impromptu breakfast as each man drew out their pistols. The soldier known as Major Barker, obviously now recovered from his wounds, walked passed them carrying a map and a new rifle.

‘Some people never learn.’ Barrett whispered as he watched Baker walk into a trap. Finding the section he’d been looking for, where he’d first shot the shadowy figure, he replaced the map and held the rifle menacingly before him, ready to shoot at anything that got in his way.

‘Better stay down in case he takes a shot at us,’ the Brigadier whispered as he ducked behind a large boulder.

Looking down Baker noticed that the section of tunnel he was about to walk through was filled with water. It reminded him of a foot bath before entering a swimming pool and shrugging decided to ignore it. As he walked through both feet became stuck fast and no matter how hard he pulled they wouldn’t move. As the water bubbled and frothed around him he began to panic as two scaly humanoid-like figures walked out of the shadows.

‘Eocenes,’ Benton said realising that the man was now surrounded and nothing they could do would help him.

Quickly Baker raised his rifle as the two figures ducked behind a large boulder. Baker fired off four rounds before one of the figures got to him. In desperation he threw his rifle at the scaly figure, which seemed to ignore it, letting it bounce off him. A red light on the top of its head began to glow causing Baker considerable pain. Within seconds he fell backward and passed into unconsciousness. As the glow diminished in the Eocenes head the water stopped bubbling and remained calm. Two more Eocenes came and, hefting Baker’s body between them, walked back towards the doorway Barrett had stood outside of earlier.

When all around them had returned to the quiet that it had been Barrett stood and checked his weapon.

‘I’ve been here before Sergeant… remember? Things will work out you’ll see.’ Barrett nodded but despite the Brigadier’s logic he still felt the need to head off after the hapless Baker. Sitting next to his two colleagues Barrett removed an apple from his backpack and threw one each to the Brigadier and Benton. Removing a third he bit into the sour tasting fruit with relish.

‘Get some rest Sergeant Barrett that’s an order. We still have time to spare before…’ he left the sentence unfinished as he lifted the trouser leg from his injured ankle and examined the colour. The swelling had diminished slightly and the leg had turned into every colour in the rainbow. ‘Before our deadline is up.’ Barrett placed his backpack behind his head and closing his eyes was asleep in seconds.

***

He wasn’t sure how long he’d slept, but when he woke there was a commotion going on in the tunnel opposite their hiding place. The Doctor and a female the Brigadier was referring to as Liz Shaw, walked passed them in the dark and headed off through the cave system, the lights on top of their helmets illuminating sections before them as they moved.

‘I think this is right,’ the Doctor said as he looked down at the map in his hands. ‘Wait a minute I’m not so sure,’ he added while checking the map a second time. Looking around he examined the expanse of cave before him. Liz noticed a section of tunnel where water covered the floor and motioned towards it.

‘How about this way then?’ she said, pointing in the direction of the water covered floor.

‘No, Quinn’s marked a completely different route, look,’ the Doctor showed Liz the map.

‘Yes but look, that’s far more direct.’ Both looked up at the water covered passageway. Shrugging the Doctor walked towards the tunnel.

‘Yes, alright.’ Before they both stepped into the water the Doctor pulled them up short. ‘Wait a minute.’ Bending forward he picked up one of Major Barker’s spent shells. ‘Look, a cartridge.’ Putting it to his nose he gave it a cursory sniff. ‘Just been fired too.’

‘Yes,’ she replied then noticing a piece of paper next to the water bent forward and, picking it up, handed it to the Doctor. Opening the notepad the Doctor looked up at Liz.

‘That’s Baker’s.’

Turning Liz started to walk towards the water. ‘We’ve got to find him.’

The Doctor held her back with a restraining hand. ‘Liz, wait a minute.’ Pocketing the notepad the Doctor bent forward and picked up a small rock and threw it into the water. Immediately it began to bubble and froth as before. Looking at where she had been about to step a shiver ran down Liz’s back.

‘Oh no.’

‘Yes… well from now on I think we should stick rigidly to Quinn’s route.’

‘Yes,’ was all she said as the Doctor motioned for her to follow him. Placing a hand on her forehead she walked after the Doctor, who noticed her discomfort.

Turning he said, ‘What’s the matter?’

‘It’s this heat.’

‘Yes I know… it’s very odd.’ Without further discussion they turned and followed their original course.

Nodding towards the Brigadier, Barrett stood and slung his MP5 over one shoulder. Taking another mouthful of water he set off after the Doctor and Liz. Moving with all the stealth he could summon he followed as closely as he could, using the dark and boulders as concealment should the Doctor decide to turn quickly and check if he was being followed.

After a short time of travel he stopped short after noticing the pair gazing at an opening in the rock face. It had been the same opening that he knew as the doorway into the Eocene’s layer. Waiting, he half expected the red light to come on letting them enter. Moving into a better position Barrett watched.

‘Well, well, well.’ The Doctor said as he approached the cave opening with Liz in tow.

‘It’s a doorway,’ she exclaimed as her torch played up and down the structure.

‘Yes… well anyone can see that.’ The Doctor said in his best condescending manner, which thankfully Liz had gotten used to over the past few months she’d worked with him. ‘The question is… how do you open it,’ the Doctor added as he examined the entrance.

Barrett felt a slight breeze on his neck and slowly turning watched as one of Benton’s lizard creatures walked only inches from where he hid.

‘Doctor look… a Silurian.’ Liz said, pointing at the approaching figure. Quickly they both ducked out of sight and watched as the figure approached the opening. As it stood, the squeaking sound filled the cavern and the doorway slid backward. Without looking in the Doctor’s direction the Silurian walked through the opening. Before the Doctor could get to the entrance way the door slid back into place.

‘I can’t understand why it didn’t see us.’ The Doctor said looking around as he spoke.

Touching the doorway Liz pulled back in shock. ‘Ow… why is it so hot?’

The Doctor looked at his friend and smiled. ‘Well you see the Silurians are reptilian and presumably have created an environment inside that suits them.’

‘I wonder how many of them there are?’ Liz asked rubbing her hand and looking around for others as she did so.

‘I wish I knew but there’s only one way to find out and that’s to get in there and see.’

‘Well we can’t without one of those things they were carrying.’

‘Yes of course.’ The Doctor said as he rummaged around in his pockets.

‘I suppose you just happen to have one in your pocket,’ Liz said with a smirk, knowing the complexity of the Doctor’s pockets from old.

‘As a matter of fact I have, Quinn’s.’ Removing a small silver box the Doctor aimed it at the door and pressed the top. Immediately it began to give off the squeaking noise that Barrett had heard before. Slowly the door slid back as the Doctor looked at Liz. Nodding, they both entered through the now open door way, closing behind them as they disappeared inside.

Following the tracker, Barrett was just about to head towards the entrance way when the door again opened and throwing himself to one side he waited as a Silurian passed through. Before the door could close behind him Barrett took the opportunity and threw himself through as quickly and as silently as he could.

As the door slid back into the closed position he stood and checked his surroundings. Noting that there were a number of places to hide he walked through the tunnels which seemed to stretch for miles. Passing, what looked like a kind of control room with three Silurian’s adjusting a number of controls, Barrett remembered his training and took no chances and moved off quietly.

Looking down at the tracker he realised with exhilaration that the star point was only five feet ahead. Following the tunnel he passed a giant cavern and ducked inside and waited as the Doctor and Liz walked passed without noticing him. When the coast was clear he again looked down at the tracker and realised that the star point was now only twelve inches behind him. Turning he realised that he’d ducked into the cavern which housed the dinosaur and it didn’t look too happy with his intrusion.

***

Motioning for Benton to help him stand, the Brigadier decided that he’d had enough sitting around and needed to get back into the action.

‘Come on Benton, help me on with the backpack and we’ll follow Sergeant Barrett from a distance.’

Nodding, Benton checked his Glock 17 then, one handed, slung the backpack over the Brigadier’s shoulder. Both took the last of the painkillers and, covering their faces in water from one of the bottles to cool down, they headed off in the direction Barrett had taken.

As the Brigadier walked cautiously through the tunnels, making sure that he put all his weight onto Benton’s good side, he heard a noise in front of them. Motioning to Benton they ducked out of sight as quickly as they could. From concealment they noticed four figures approaching, all wearing helmets adorned with lights, as before.

‘More cavers,’ he whispered to Benton. He was just about to step out of concealment and confront them when he realised, with a shock, that one of the men was himself, only younger, or older, he didn’t know. Captain Hawkins followed the group with a clip board held in one hand.

‘Map,’ the Brigadier said to Hawkins and reached out for it as it was thrust into his hands. Looking ahead he nodded to his men. ‘There should be a way through here.’ With a feeling of horror the Brigadier, still held up by Benton, remembered what came next; they were going to be sealed in, without air.

Locked in a cavern with the other Brigadier would enhance the chances of the Blinovitch limitation effect, the Doctor had told him about. Finding all the star points but destroying the universe was exactly the reason the Doctor hadn’t made this particular trip in the first place. There was also the fact that a fit health Brigadier survived but the way he was feeling and the state Benton was in he wasn’t sure they would.

Quickly he turned to face Benton and whispered, ‘Get us out of here fast and don’t worry about my ankle.’ Seeing the look in the Brigadier’s eyes Benton almost lifted the Brigadier and like competitors in a three legged race they moved as fast as they could away from the party of UNIT soldiers. Ahead, Benton saw the opening began to slide shut.

***

The arrangement of teeth, the powerful arms with three giant claws and the size of the Allosaurus, made it an imposing figure especially in the dark. Realising that his MP5 would only wound it and perhaps make it more volatile, Barrett decided on another cause of action.

Ducking under the dinosaur’s first swipe, which nearly sliced open his back, he moved as fast as he could. Rolling between its feet he released an M84 Flash Bang, Stun grenade and kept rolling, without looking back. Counting down the numbers he made for a small outcropping and dove behind it as the flash bang produced a blinding flash and deafening blast that rocked the cavern.

Seeing the Allosaurus as a potential threat, but not life threatening at that moment, the explosive bang merely confused and disorientated the beast, taking away its combat effectiveness. The bright flash that lit up the darkness would almost certainly blind the beast, he thought, taking it out of the game long enough for him to get out of there. He knew it would last up to a minute in a human and hopped he’d have time to find the star point before it regained its killing potential.

Running for the entrance he tripped and fell slamming hard into the stone floor. Quickly he stood and, looking down, realized what he had tripped over. Below in the dirt lay a number of human bones, most still enclosed in ripped and tore clothing. What he couldn’t understand was the steel plate that seemed fastened to the back of the skeleton.

Pointing the tracker at the pile of bones the readings showed the star point five inches from the tip. Kneeling down he heard the Allosaurus behind him, its eyesight still not restored but its temper had increased.

Across the shoulder of one of the corpses lay a large canvas bag. Pulling out his commando dagger he managed to cut away the strap as he heard giant footsteps behind him. Ignoring the beast for the moment he sliced open the bag and a number of items fell out; one of which was the star point, red and flashing in the light. Grabbing hold of it he turned and rolled to his left as the dinosaur’s jaws bit down on the skeleton he had just examined. Its dry bones shattered into splinters as Barrett ran for the entrance way.

***

Benton dragged the Brigadier through the doorway just as it closed behind him. Taking a deep breath they looked back at the trapped men knowing that the Doctor would save them.

‘That was a bit Indiana Jones, don’t you think?’ Benton said as he looked back at the closed doorway.

Smiling the Brigadier nodded, unconsciously checking his hat was still in place as he did so.

Hefting the Brigadier’s weight onto his good shoulder, Benton headed back the way they had come and took a different fork in the tunnel this time, which brought them out at the doorway Barrett had described to them.

As the door slid back one of the Eocenes came out looking in their direction. Unable to move quickly enough, Benton fumbled for his Glock, but knew he would be too late.

Bending forward, the red light on its forehead glowed and pulsed and the strange squeaking noised erupted from it. As the red light covered them, Sergeant Barrett exploded from the entrance way and slammed his foot into the humanoid lizard’s back, throwing it forwards and to the ground. Without faltering his stride Barrett ran to his two companions and, taking hold of the Brigadier, almost ran with him into the darkness beyond. Benton followed close behind looking over his shoulder to check to see if they were being followed.

Out of breath, all three hid behind a large boulder and waited in silence. Nothing, it seemed, was following.

Removing his water bottle, Barrett passed it to the Brigadier who swallowed greedily. Benton removed his own and took a mouthful before passing it to Barrett. As they sat in the darkness Barrett removed the star point from his cargo pants leg and held it out before them. Benton almost cried out with joy when he realised what he was holding. The red glow bathed the stalagmites around them in a pale wash that made the Brigadier feel more tired than he had ever been in his life.

A noise from behind them caused the Brigadier to turn. Looking through the red tinged darkness he could see lizard men spreading out, searching for them in the cavern. With the light glow given off by the star it wouldn’t belong, he knew, before they found them.

Each of the three UNIT soldiers quickly wrapped a hand around the star point and thought of UNIT headquarters back in Sunderland, in the North East of England. At first nothing happened and the Brigadier was about to say something when three Eocenes appeared from behind a rock outcropping and leaned forward. Their red lights began to glow then faintly disappear as the star point whisked them away into the future.



Doctor Who and the Star of Arcadia - The Post Office Tower 10/16



torchwood, doctor who and the star of arcadia, old who, doctor who, fic, ten

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