Chapter
2 – Part V: Confrontation
14
February 2710
Deep
beneath Ilkona City
The
Doctor and Felicia entered a large underground chamber from the
staircase they had just descended.
“He
must’ve extended a natural cave,”
Felicia said.
“I
agree,” the Doctor said.
They
walked into the chamber, which was decorated with scenes from Earth’s
history. They could also see many instances of the TARDIS in the
motifs. One was reminiscent of the Bayeux
Tapestry. Another was a depiction of a scene in Revolutionary
America.
“Doctor,”
she said, pointing at one of the motifs.
“Yes?”
“There
are representations of the TARDIS in this mural.”
“I may
have met him before,” the Doctor said. ‘More
than once, and at any of these depicted events,’
he thought.
‘Great,’
Felicia thought. “He may be an old enemy,” she pondered. They
continued towards the end of the chamber where the person attempting
to take over Ilkona waited.
---
They were
met at the door to the inner chamber by a robot. “My master awaits
you Doctor, and Miss Lovell,” he said.
“As I
expected,” the Doctor said. The robot ushered them in.
They saw
a large table dominating a room reminiscent of the chamber outside.
The person attempting to take over Ilkona was standing behind it.
“So you
are the infamous Doctor, the Oncoming Storm, the last of the Time
Lords of Gallifrey,” he said dramatically,
drawing out the ‘so’ and pausing between each of the Doctor’s
titles.
“I am
the Doctor, and you are trying to take over Ilkona for your own ends!
Why are you doing this?”
“For
what purpose, you ask, Doctor? I answer with a question of my own.
Why not?” the other man said.
“I ask
you, right now, to give up your plans to take over this planet,”
the Doctor said, with a warning tone.
“What
will you do to stop me, Doctor? Is that what you ask all of your
other enemies, before you stop their
plans?”
“It
varies, but yes, I do ask them all that. Except the Daleks; them I
just oppose,” the Doctor said. The antagonist walked out from
behind the desk and stood in front of the Doctor.
“There
is nothing you can do to stop me from taking over Ilkona, Doctor. You
may have caused some setbacks, but that is it,” he said.
Whilst
the Doctor and the man were engaged in their aggressive discussion
Felicia had been thinking. ‘Maybe,
I could look in his files and discover what he is up to, and why he
had set the conspiracies in place.’
She saw that the man’s attention
was focused on the Doctor, so she acted. She walked around the two of
them and approached the desk.
“Are
you willing to put that to the test?” The Doctor asked. He
paused before adding; “And another question; do you intend
on stopping with Ilkona, or are you planning to
take over more planets with
this scheme of
yours?”
“Wouldn’t
you like to know?” the man stepped towards
the Doctor.
The
Doctor stared back.
The
antagonist glared back and smirked.
He turned
back to his desk, to find Felicia sitting at
the computer terminal trying to look at his files. “I
wouldn’t bother, sweetheart. They are all password protected.
You’ll never be able to crack them,”
he said.
“We’ll
see about that!” Felicia said. She
leaned closer before typing random letters, numbers and other
characters in a password field. The combination was incorrect.
The
villain produced a firearm from his pocket. “Now. I suggest
stepping away from the desk,” he said.
“Are
you afraid that I would crack your password by
accident?” Felicia asked as she raised her hands. She knew
it wasn’t highly probable, but
stranger things had happened. ‘I knew
it was a long shot, but it was
worth a try.’
“Not at
all,” the villain said, he raised his energy weapon.
Felicia
leapt aside. “Doctor!” she yelled,
as the energy beam scorched past her, and hit
an area of the wall and burning off one
of the TARDIS motifs. The Doctor activated the sonic
screwdriver, holding it upright.
The
man laughed. “Your companion is quite agile, but I doubt
that your sonic screwdriver would be able to crack my systems!” ‘I
have made sure of that!’ he thought.
“The
sonic screwdriver may not, but...” the
Doctor trailed off. He had other ideas
in mind.
“What
are you up to?” the villain asked. Then an echoing sound answered
him. “No! Activate anti-TARDIS defences,” he said. ‘You
didn’t expect this,
Doctor,’ he thought. He was
certain that the technology that he had gained from a rogue Time
agent and enhanced with certain Torchwood devices would work.
The
TARDIS continued to materialise as a computer voice said,
“Anti-TARDIS defences active.”
‘I
hope he hasn’t gained Dalek,
or even UNIT,
technology. That would be quite a bother,’ the Doctor
thought.
The
TARDIS completed its materialisation. “Anti-TARDIS defences
failed,” the computer said.
“What!”
the man exclaimed as he brought his right fist
down upon the table. He couldn’t
understand why the defences didn’t work. He was sure that rogue
agent hadn’t duped him, and that the Torchwood enhancements were
exactly that.
“Whatever
technology you’re using would probably have been effective against
an older model of TARDIS, but not a Type
40. Especially an upgraded Type 40,” the Doctor said.
The TARDIS door opened and Kiara and Tamsin stepped out. Both
of them were smiling.
The man
was fuming.
“You
will not succeed in stopping me, Doctor!
The Empire will do nothing. Nor will the
Shadow Proclamation.”
“Actually,
both authorities are rather interested
in how your conspiracy got so advanced so quickly,” Tamsin said.
“A
Proclamation Investigation Vessel and the 32nd Terran
Battlefleet are on their way here,” Kiara said.
“They
can’t wait to get here,” Tamsin deadpanned.
Kiara
nodded, her expression mirroring that of Tamsin. “They are
very eager to know the details.”
“Very
good, Tamsin and Kiara! Now, no matter what happens in the next
ten minutes, you will loose,” the Doctor said.
“You
may think you have unravelled my
conspiracy in Ilkona City, Doctor. But I
still have tricks up my sleeve. There is more
to it than you have discovered. Some of my plans are still in place.”
“That
may be the case--” the Doctor began...
“You
may have penetrated my inner sanctum, but I am prepared!” the man
said, and pressed a button on the desk.
Previously
invisible doors along the walls opened and small robots came swarming
out, about 15 centimetres high and armed with
sharp appendages and energy weapons, and heading
straight towards the intruders.
“Yikes!”
Felicia said, leaping past the man,
avoiding his attempt at grabbing her,
and over the table towards the TARDIS.
“That
can’t be good!” Tamsin said. ‘Those
blades look rather sharp!’
she thought.
The
Doctor looked at the metallic swarm and
frantically said, “Into the TARDIS!” He, Tamsin, Kiara and
Felicia ran as they followed him into
the TARDIS and slammed the doors.
The
robotic swarm surrounded the TARDIS and began firing their
energy weapons at its exterior.
The
villain laughed a kind of laugh that wouldn’t have been out of
place in old 20th Century spy films.
The
Doctor rushed to the console. He began
preparing to leave and then examined the scanner readings.
“What
are they, Doctor?” Tamsin asked.
“Their
weaponry shows signatures common to Cybermen and Sontaran weaponry,”
the Doctor replied. Kiara then noticed
something else on the console readouts.
“Doctor,
the Exterior Block Computational Field is losing its integrity,”
she said.
“Is
that what it says?” the Doctor asked in disbelief.
“Yes!”
“But
that is impossible with Cybermen, or Sontarran weaponry,” the
Doctor said.
“Are
you sure?” Felicia asked.
“Neither
are powerful enough, nor work in the required manner,” the Doctor
replied.
“Perhaps
it is a synergistic effect?” Tamsin asked.
“That
would make sense,” the Doctor mused.
“The
Field is at 90%, Doctor!” Kiara said.
“We
have to retreat.” Frantically, he set
the TARDIS in motion.
“Not a
moment too soon,” Tamsin said.
‘Thank
Airyt,’ Kiara thought.
Ilkona
City Central Park
The
TARDIS materialised twelve minutes later in the Park. The Doctor
stepped out and examined the exterior damage. The wooden exterior of
the Police Box was rather scorched. He ran his hand around the
outside of the ship.
“Quite
a hit, wasn’t it old girl. A few hours
and you’ll be as good new!” he said.
“A few
hours, Doctor? I don’t think we have that
long,” Tamsin said, as she came out of the TARDIS.
The
Doctor looked surprised. “Oh?”
“It is
likely that Mr. Vile, if that is his real name, would send his robots
out over the city,” Tamsin said. They had
learned his name during their earlier investigations of the
conspiracies.
“The
Imperial fleet will be here in four hours, and the Proclamation in
five,” Kiara said.
The
Doctor agreed.
“What
can we do against Vile’s machines?” asked
Felicia. ‘There are too many
for him to deal with using the sonic,’ she thought.
“He
isn’t just going to send them out. He would be tracking the TARDIS
somehow. He knew that I had arrived in any case. We will wait until
the machines are in the park and then go back to his lair,” the
Doctor said.
“And
then what? It isn’t likely that he will send all of them out,”
said Felicia.
The
Doctor shook his head “No, he won’t
but they would have less of an impact on the TARDIS and it
will give me a chance to get into his systems.”
“I
guess so,” Kiara said.
“We can
prepare in the meantime,” the Doctor said.
‘Of
course,’ Kiara thought.
“Absolutely,”
Tamsin said.
---
Two hours
later, an alarm rang in the console room. The Doctor looked at the
scanner. “They’re here,” he said.
“Let’s
do it then,” Tamsin said.
“Right,”
the Doctor said, a smile on his face, as
he pushed a lever downwards. The TARDIS
began to dematerialise. “Here we go.”
Tamsin
and Felicia got into position near the door. ‘I
hope I am right,’ Tamsin thought.
Vile’s
Hideout
The
TARDIS materialised in the same position that it had been in a couple
hours before. The Doctor immediately began his attempt to hack the
villain’s computers.
Felicia
and Tamsin stepped outside the TARDIS. The lair looked deserted.
“This can’t be right,” Tamsin said.
“You
may be right. It could be a trap,” Felicia said.
Tamsin...
“I’m sure the Doctor would know that.”
Felicia
leaned against the side of the TARDIS. “I would feel better if
someone warned him anyway.”
“I will
tell him,” Tamsin said, noticing that Felicia was a little subdued.
The look Felicia had on her face was becoming a
common sight. She missed her Doctor and was homesick.
Felicia
saw that Tamsin was studying her and let the thoughts swirling in her
mind vanish as swiftly as they had appeared.
Tamsin
ducked back into the TARDIS. “The lair looks deserted. It could be
a trap,” she said.
“Of
course it could be a trap, Tamsin,” the Doctor said. He turned to
Kiara. “Watch the scanner.”
Kiara
nodded and Tamsin rejoined Felicia as the
Doctor began his task.
“The
Doctor’s still
trying to hack the
system,” Tamsin said.
“Good,”
Felicia said, hoping that Vile didn’t have Dalek malware to
infect the TARDIS with. ‘That
would cause a paradox for sure,’
she thought. That was something that she didn’t want to happen.
Five
minutes later, Felicia and Tamsin saw Vile re-enter the lair.
“I knew
that you would come back,” he said.
“Of
course we came back,” Felicia said.
Tamsin
approached Vile with a serious look on her face. “You have
lost, admit it!”
“You
and the Time Lord may believe that, but I still have an
ace up my sleeves,” Vile said.
Felicia
raised an eyebrow. “Dalek malware?”
Vile
laughed “Of course not, Ms. Lovell. Dalek software is like the
Daleks themselves, untrustworthy,” he
said.
“Just
making sure,” Felicia commented,
not sure if the villain was telling the truth.
The only
response from the villain was a wry smile.
“Dalek
malware?” Tamsin asked.
Felicia
didn’t answer the question. “Spoilers.”
“Oh,
yeah, like that River Song,” Tamsin
said.
“There
is a story there, I am sure,” Felicia guessed.
‘Whoever that River
Song is...’ she thought.
Tamsin
agreed and Felicia smiled before Tamsin turned to Vile. “What
are you waiting for?” she asked.
“Good
question, Ms. Davis. I thought I’d let
you two enjoy your little moment,
there. The Doctor is going hit a snag in his hacking attempt in a few
seconds,” Vile said. He looked at his wrist chronometer, counting
down. “Two.”
“What
sort of snag?” Tamsin asked.
“One.”
Vile counted but there wasn’t enough time for an answer
before there was a cry of annoyance from the TARDIS and the Doctor
dashed out.
“Of
course you would pilfer Proclamation Secure Virtualisation software
to hide your files!” he said.
“By the
time you will have countered the security the files will be
elsewhere. In the meantime your TARDIS is vulnerable!”
“Time
Lord firewalls are the best, the TARDIS has multiple firewalls
protecting all of its systems,” the Doctor said.
“All
firewalls have their weaknesses, Doctor. I have software trying to
find those vulnerabilities as we speak,” the villain said.
“And
all this doesn’t change the fact that the authorities were
alerted hours ago and are still coming,”
Kiara said as she came out of the TARDIS.
“Ah,
but I have plans for that!” Vile said. He walked over to his desk
and pressed a button, next
to the computer terminal.
“No
doubt,” Tamsin said.
“The
battle robots are on their way back here,” Vile said.
“And I
can bring the Proclamation ship and the Battlefleet here right now,”
the Doctor warned.
Vile
didn’t look convinced and wanted to call the Doctor’s bluff.
“Somehow I don’t think you are going to do that!”
The
Doctor stared back at Vile. “I will.”
The
Doctor and the villain glared at the
other in hostility for a few minutes,
both trying to decide what to say next.
The
companions retreated to the TARDIS. Felicia closed the doors. “What
would you say if I said I have a plan?” she asked.
“I
would ask you what it is,” Tamsin said.
“Better
than nothing, I guess,” Kiara said.
Not
wanting to waste any more time, Tamsin
encouraged Felicia to continue.
“So, what are you planning?”
“We get
him into the TARDIS and the Doctor takes him to the incoming
authorities,” Felicia said.
“I
suppose so, but how are we going to get him into the TARDIS?”
Tamsin asked. ‘He would be
quite wary of any tricks, that we may try.’
“We
could tackle him and push him into the
TARDIS?” Felicia declared.
“I can
use my powers to ensure that he goes into the TARDIS,” Kiara
offered.
“You
know, that might just work,” Tamsin said, with a smirk. ‘It’s
silly and rather risky, but it’s the best that we have at the
moment,’ she thought.
“Let’s
do it!” Felicia said as she exited the TARDIS.
Tamsin
and Kiara followed her out.
“You’ll
not defeat me, Doctor!” Vile said from where
he remained next to the table whilst glaring at the Doctor.
“Maybe
not, but, I don’t have to,” the Doctor said.
“What?”
Vile asked.
“Now!”
the Doctor, said to Tamsin and Kiara, having
noticed the expressions on their faces that told him that they had
some sort of plan.
“Aaaaaagggghhhhhhh!”
Tamsin shouted as she slammed into the villain.
“What
are you doing?” Vile asked, as he grappled with Tamsin.
“What
do you think?” Kiara said as she produced an ice wall behind Tamsin
and Vile, blocking any possible escape.
“That’s
impossible!” Vile said. He stared at the ice
wall in confusion, clearly wondering how it had came about.
“Clearly,
it’s not,” Felicia said.
“Not if
you’re from Tyria!” Kiara said. She
grabbed hold of Vile and together with
Tamsin and Felicia, pushed him into the TARDIS.
The
Doctor quickly followed his companions in as the robots surrounded
the ship and began firing.
The
TARDIS dematerialised.
Shadow
Proclamation Vessel Tiara
The
TARDIS materialised on the vessel’s bridge. The Doctor stepped out,
followed by Tamsin. Tamsin saw the commander
breathe a sigh of relief.
“The
Doctor, I presume,” the commander of the Shadow Proclamation
expedition asked. Unlike the crew of the vessel (who were Judoon) the
commander was human.
“Yes.
I’m the Doctor and I’ve
captured the villain whom was attempting
to take over Ilkona.”
“Very
good Doctor. That will save us having to
scour the entire planet for him. Where is he?”
“He is
in one of the TARDIS’s holding cells,” the Doctor said.
“Good.
Captain, lead a team to the holding cells and bring him out,” the
commander said.
“I will
lead you through the TARDIS,” the Doctor said.
Vile was
seething behind the force field that was holding him in the holding
cell. “You think that just because you’re his companions that you
can get away with this?”
“Yes,”
Felicia stated.
“I can
get away with it,” Kiara said.
“The
TARDIS is on a Proclamation Vessel. Even if you
could escape where would you go?” Tamsin asked. ‘He
can’t escape,’ she thought.
“This
ship is a regular Labyrinth. I can get lost in here, and the Doctor
wouldn’t be able to find me. I bet I could
use some of his secrets against him.”
“He
would find you eventually. Meanwhile the
TARDIS would stay on the Proclamation ship,” Felicia
pointed out.
“You’d
be captured eventually,” Tamsin said.
“They
would not give up,” Kiara said.
“Let’s
wait and see shall we,” Vile said,
sounding sure of himself.
“Maybe.”
Five
minutes later, the Doctor and the Judoon troops arrived at the
holding cells. He input a code sequence and deactivated the force
field. The Judoon captain immediately put handcuffs on Vile,
who showed signs that he would attempt to run.
“You
are under arrest. Crime: Conspiracy to overthrow a legal government.
Sentence will be proclaimed at a later time. You will be escorted out
of this Time Lord vessel into Shadow Proclamation custody.”
“You
brutes, mindlessly following orders!” Vile shouted as he was lead
out of the holding cell.
“If
there are any further negative vocalisations, you will be gagged!”
the Judoon captain said.
Vile
grumbled.
“The
TARDIS layout can change in a short period, follow me,” the Doctor
said, as the corridor behind him slowly changed
its direction in relation to the holding cells.
“Yes,
Doctor,” the Judoon captain said.
“You
think this is the end of it?” Kiara said.
“The
end of it for the Doctor, certainly. For Vile, the hurt is just
beginning,” Tamsin said. The others agreed
with her.
The
Doctor exited the TARDIS with the Judoon captain and his prisoner.
“Here is Vile,” the Doctor said.
“Very
well, Doctor,” the Proclamation
commander said.
“And
now I must go,” the Doctor said, not wanting
to be involved in the incident any further.
“Must
you?” the commander asked, wondering why the
Doctor didn’t stay around once the immediate threat had gone.
The
Doctor soon re-entered the TARDIS.