52 Tales of 2019 - Changes in Time and Space - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Drahvins!

29 September 2018, The Azores Autonomous Region, Portugal, just outside the city of Ponta Delaga

The Doctor and her companions were still behind the trees in the park as they watched foot soldiers march out of the Drahvin starship. “What are we going to do?” Felicia asked.

“We will have to find the leader. Then I’ll have to improvise,” the Doctor said.

Daniel gave this some thought, before asking; “Are we just going to march onto that ship?”

“I haven’t any other ideas, Dan. We need to find out why the Drahvins are invading Earth in this time, and why starting at the Azores,” the Doctor said.

“I see that, but how are we going to get on board?” Sigrun asked.

“We will have to wait until all of the soldiers get out of the ship, and hope that they won’t find us here in the meantime,” the Doctor said.

“Oh dear” Felicia said. 'It is certain there is going to be discomfort ahead.'

Soon the soldiers had left the ship, and the door remained open.

“Ok, now, everyone. Run!” The Doctor said.

The Doctor and her companions darted out from behind the tree, and ran towards the Drahvin starship. The starship looked the same as all other Drahvin ships she had seen, made out of a trashy tin-alloy that could easily be punctured by weapons fire or micrometeorites.

The Doctor bounded up the debarkation ramp, followed by Felicia, Daniel, Jia’hale and Sabir with Sigrun bringing up the rear.

“Ok, we need to find the bridge,” the Doctor said.

“Why?” Daniel asked.

“The leader is most likely to be there,” the Doctor answered.

“Wouldn’t that be at the top of the ship?” Sabir asked.

“You have been watching too much Science Fiction,” the Doctor objected “Most often the bridge isn’t on the top, but in a more protected position within the ship.”

“Wouldn’t it be worth a try though?” Sigrun asked after a moment of reflection.

“Absolutely. Otherwise we wouldn’t know,” the Doctor replied.

“Let’s go then,” Daniel said. The Doctor lead the way along the corridor and soon found a service shaft that lead upwards. She started climbing, followed by Daniel, Felicia, Sigrun, Jia’hale and Sabrina. They soon found themselves on the top deck of the Drahvin transport.

“It’s clear, and it is likely that the bridge is on this deck, let’s go,” she said. Her companions followed her out into the corridor, and followed her towards where the sonic screwdriver was indicating the bridge was.

They soon arrived at a door, which was locked. “Deadlock seal, the sonic screwdriver is useless,” the Doctor said.

“We could try a ventilation shaft,” Sabir said.

The Doctor was then in thought.

“Worth a try,” Daniel said.

“Ok, Sab, Dan, we will try it,” the Doctor said. They then looked along the corridor for any openings to the ship's ventilation shafts.

They soon found one, about 10 meters from the bridge door. This time the Doctor could open it with the sonic screwdriver. It clanged down onto the floor.

“Ok, I'll go first,” Daniel said.

“No, Dan, I'll go first. You don't know what would be in there. It could be booby trapped!” the Doctor said.

“Of course,” Daniel said, the Doctor usually went first into dangerous situations like this.

“You can bring up the rear” the Doctor said. The Doctor then entered the ventilation duct, with Jia'hale following.

Sabir, Felicia and Sigrun followed, and Daniel came last.

The Doctor leapt out of the ventilation shaft onto the Drahvin Bridge, where many Drahvins were waiting.

“Hello Doctor!” one of them, who seemed to be in charge, said. The Doctor looked up straight, and her companions carefully exited the shaft.

'Of course, it has to be her!' the Doctor thought to himself. “Hello, Kellira,” the Doctor said, with irony in her voice. The Doctor had run into this particular Drahvin before. Many times.

You know her?” Daniel asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” the Doctor said.

Kellira made a signal and suddenly every Drahvin on the bridge were pointing their guns at the Doctor and her companions, it appeared that the Doctor was outwitted.

“We are in trouble now,” Jia’hale said in an exhasperated tone.

“What do you have planned now?” Daniel asked. Sabir, Felicia and Sigrun were speechless with shock.

“I have no plan, maybe I should have contacted UNIT or Torchwood before we entered the ship. It has been so long since I have been in contact with either of them,” the Doctor mused.

Kellira made another signal and one of her soldiers stepped forwards.

“Silence!” she shouted.

“There is nothing you, or the Earth associations you referenced, can do Doctor!” Kellira objected. “Or plan plan is proceeding perfectly. The Azores will be ours and we can then interfere with Earth's history to our ends!”

“You can’t do that!” Jia’hale said.

“Yes we can,” Kellira said.

“You Drahvins are all the same, use everything as a weapon. Whatever your plan is, it will fail” the Doctor said.

“But you have no plan! Every time we met before, I could see that you had some kind of plan, you obviously didn't think that the bridge would be heavily guarded,” Kellira said.

“I have almost lost count of the times when I didn't have a plan and still won the day, this will be no different, and as I once told a Dalek Emperor, doesn't that scare you to bits!” the Doctor said.

Meanwhile Sabir was edging along towards a computer console; all of the soldier's had their eyes on the Doctor...

“What is your plan?” Sigrun asked.

“Wouldn't you and your Time Lord friend like to know. You will not find out!” Kellira said.

“What is the point of taking over the Azores anyway?” Daniel asked. ‘They are quite isolated.”

“I am not answering that question,” Kellira said.

Unnoticed, the Doctor grabbed her sonic screwdriver and changed the setting...

The setting hadn't been used for a while, but she was sure it would work. She activated the setting. Bizzzzt, bizxewt, wizzzte.

“What was that?”Kellira said as she heard the Sonic screwdriver.

Sabir whirled around to the nearest computer station. Amongst other things the sonic screwdriver had brought up a directory listing.

“Call up their plan” he heard Felicia call out.

“That is what I am doing!” he shot back as he began looking through the files.

Jia’hale and Sigrun had flanked the Doctor, and they both charged at Kellira ready to take her down...

Outside the city, the TARDIS waited patiently for the Doctor and her companions. It then received the signal from the Doctor, via the communications system of the Drahvin starship that she was in. She knew that she was in trouble, though not the sort of trouble that she was afraid of and had been avoiding for a while...

She sent a few messages to allies of the Doctor via the worldwide internet and then set into motion, homing in on the Doctor's signal.

Sigrun and Jia’hale had knocked Kellira over but it wasn't long before she recovered and fought back. Her soldiers did shoot in the direction of two companions, and the Doctor, but most of the shots went wild and some of them fell victim to friendly fire.

Kellira stood up again. “Feisty are you two? But I am a highly trained Drahvin warrior, you stand no chance!” she said fuming and charged at Sigrun, who promptly twisted her onto her back.

“I am also trained; in Terran Eastern Martial Arts. What do you say to that?” Sigrun then said.

“That just makes it more of a challenge! It will make no difference in the long run,” Kellira said.

Sabir had called up the file containing the plan. “Of course it would be encrypted!” he said, however he knew how to get around that.

Kellira was still trying to fend off Sigrun and Jia’hale when an echoing noise came into the room. “No!” she said.

“Yes, Kellira, I summoned my ship,” the Doctor said. “I can then use it to further the destruction of your plan.” The TARDIS finished rematerialising and she clicked her fingers, opening the doors.

“I haven't decrypted the file yet, but it can be accessed from the TARDIS,” Sabir as he ran from the computer panel towards the TARDIS.

“Guards, surround the Time Lord's ship!” Kellira ordered.

Many of the Drahvin soldiers tried to surround the TARDIS. But there was an interruption. Jia'hale lashed out, all feet and fists, and cleared the area near the door. Sabir unlocked the door and dashed inside.

“Feeling inadequate now?” Daniel asked. This only added fuel to Kellira's rage.

“I am more than 'adequate' obligatory male companion. Not even the TARDIS can decrypt that file!” Kellira said.

“You seen very confident for a Drahvin who has just been outwitted, unless you pilfered some encryption software from a derelict Dalek ship,” the Doctor said. “I wouldn't think even you would risk that.”

Kellira called for the guards again, but found none were answering. While Daniel and the Doctor were talking to her, they had either been caught in their own crossfire, or had been knocked out by Sigrun and Jia'hale.

“You're still very confident, Doctor. The Drahvin forces are still as of this moment taking control of the city of Ponta Delaga, and I am still confident that you cannot change that fact, or decrypt that file,” Kellira said.

“Sigrun, Jia’hale, hold Kellira here, Felicia, come into the TARDIS with me, maybe three and the ship can do what one and the ship can't do. Daniel, watch the soldiers, make sure they can't make trouble,” the Doctor said. She and Felicia went into the TARDIS.