FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK - Written by Lewis Robinson-Hurst
Tasha Lem was tired. She hadn’t slept for a week. Now, she wasn’t human so she could go for quite a while without sleep, but sometimes she liked to lean her head back and relax. Have a dream of the odd massacre or two. Nice and relaxing. Except the siege of Trenzalore was anything but relaxing. Every day there was a Slitheen or a Terileptil or a Draconian fleet trying to make their way past the shield. And every day Tasha Lem had to clean up after them. It was tiring. She never got a moments peace. Suddenly she heard a noise. She looked up.
“What are you doing here?” she called, “No one is allowed in here without my divine permission!”
The Silent Priest did not respond. It did what they always do. It stood there silently, watching her. It creeped her out.
“Stop that,” she said.
The Silent did not respond. It simply stood there. And then...
Confess... it called.
Tasha looked at it harshly.
“Confess?” she asked, “To what?”
Confess... it said again.
Tasha shifted uncomfortably. She was the Mother Superious. She was guiltless. She shouldn’t have to confess to anything.
“Explain yourself now! Before I have you killed!”
Confess
“Stop that!”
Confess
“Stop it!” Tasha shouted, tears streaming down her face.
Confess
“I SAID STOP IT!” she screamed and burst to her feet.
The Silent Priest stood still.
CONFESS.
“Ok fine! I did it! I killed them! Happy now?! I killed people to get where I am! I don’t see how it’s a confession! Everyone knows this!”
The Silent Priest looked at her... and then turned and left. Tasha blinked. Why was she crying? What had just happened? She shook her head. There was a knock on the door. A Cleric poked his head round the door.
“Mother Superious? There’s a situation.”
“What is it now? Daleks? Cybermen? Judoon? Oh I know! It’s probably the Graske!” Tasha shouted.
“...It’s best if you see it yourself.” Said the Cleric.
The large ship hovered over the planet. Tasha stared at it. It seemed to twist and change the longer she stared at it. She felt a shiver of fear that chilled her to the core. She very rarely felt that.
“Is that?” a Cleric asked.
Tasha hung her head.
“It is. The Eminence have come to Trenzalore.”
The Doctor didn’t know where he was. He dodged and weaved among explosions. He couldn’t see. Suddenly, it cleared. Before him stood a collection of people. Faces long since gone. A young girl stood forward.
“One day I shall come back,” she said mockingly, “but you never came back did you? You flew off in your TARDIS and never gave me a second thought.”
“No... no that’s not true... I was saving you, giving you the normal life you always wanted...” stammered the Doctor.
“Did you really believe I would have been happy with your double? I wanted you. The real you.” A blonde woman said.
“Did you ask my permission before wiping my memory? Maybe I would have preferred to die!” called a ginger woman.
“Did you even try to save him? No. You were selfish and just wanted me all to yourself!” shouted a Scottish woman.
“I could have helped... but you sent me away... I could have saved you...” Clara said.
“No! That’s not true! None of it!” the Doctor cried.
“Doctor... Doctor... Doctor...” they chanted.
“No! Leave me alone! Stop it!” the Doctor shouted.
“Doctor?” a voice asked.
“No!”
“Doctor?”
The Doctor awoke. He was sat in his chair in the clocktower. Handles lay to one side. His face cold and emotionless. The Doctor looked forward. April was leaning over him. It was she who had awoken him. The Doctor shifted.
“Bad dream?” she asked.
The Doctor shifted again.
“Yes... yes something like a bad dream,” he said, choosing his words carefully.
April nodded, knowing best not to inquire. She passed a steaming bowl of soup to him.
“Eat.” She said.
“This is becoming a regular occurrence,” the Doctor laughed.
“It wouldn’t if you ate,” she responded.
The Doctor grinned.
Archibald began his patrol of the town. He was in a bad mood. There was no denying. The Doctor was the cause of it. The town was in danger. And the Doctor was the reason why. He grumbled. The Doctor had to go. He had to be removed. The only way to save the town was to make a deal. Hand the Doctor over to whoever promised to protect the town until the other ships left once they had the Doctor. Yes. That was the thing to do.
Archibald was so lost in his own thoughts he didn’t notice the Cyberman move out of the shadows.
Until it was too late.
High above Trenzalore, the mysterious ship shifted and changed. It was almost time. Deep within, sat on a throne worthy of a king, a figure stepped up. He was tall, broad, with a regal looking visage. His armour was elegant, yet functional, large and ornate. He scowled down at his underlings, who scuttled out of his way. A beautiful woman stepped up to his side. She wore a regal breastplate that ended in a long flowing dress. An ornate sword was strapped to her side. He long black hair cascaded down her back.
“Magister,” she said.
“Domina,” said the Magister, “Are we ready?”
“Our ship has gathered enough time energy to phase out of current timelines. The shield will be no problem,” Domina responded.
“Excellent, you have done well Domina.”
“I live to serve my Magister. In this life and the next.”
He nodded. He stepped up to the ship’s viewport. He smiled.
“Begin our descent.”
Tasha Lem stared with horror at the screen. The ship was heading down to the planet... and the shield wasn’t stopping it. She turned to the clerics, all of whom had similar looks of terror.
“Well don’t just stand there!” she shouted. “Someone patch me through to the Doctor. NOW!”
The Doctor twirled about the clocktower.
“And then I dashed out to the TARDIS, the Police Box not the woman, and found it enveloped in a huge green smoke and it vanished! House had stolen the TARDIS! And Amy and Rory with it! I was trapped! With no way to stop House or save Amy and Rory! But I had a clever plan. I turned to the TARDIS, the woman this time, and we devised a pla-“
“DOCTOR!” Tasha’s voice boomed.
The Doctor turned.
“Ooo,” he turned to April. “Her upstairs is awake.”
“Tasha. Might I add your nostrils are looking extremely ravishing today.” The Doctor said, addressing the large holographic Tasha.
“Doctor, there’s no time for games. I come with a warning.” Tasha said.
“Oh yeah? Let’s hear it.”
“The Eminence have come to Trenzalore.”
The Doctor froze.
“No. No they can’t.”
“They’re here and they’re coming. And I had to warn you.”
“Thanks… is there anything you can do?”
“From up here? No. You’re on your own Doctor. I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault. Goodbye Tasha.”
Tasha Lem vanished. The Doctor adjusted his bowtie.
“Go time.”
The Doctor sprinted down the clock tower steps, April close behind.
“Doctor!” she shouted, “Doctor answer me! What is the Eminence?”
The Doctor paused and turned sadly back to April.
“The Eminence are a war empire, they seek power wherever they go and leave nothing but ashes in their wake. They must be here for a reason. I need to find out what.”
“Ok, so we go look for them right?”
“Yes… Oh April I seem to have left Handles in the clocktower. Go back and get him for me please.”
“Sure!” she turned and ran back inside. The Doctor walked up the steps and shut the doors behind her. He pointed his sonic and pressed. The doors clicked.
“Doctor?” April’s voice called from inside.
The doors shook.
“Doctor!”
They shook again.
“DOCTOR! No! You are not doing this to me!”
“I’m sorry April. It’s too dangerous. You have to stay here.”
“No! You need me!”
The Doctor walked away.
“I don’t need anyone.”
Magister Hyacintho looked at the town of Christmas on his viewscreen. Such a primitive settlement. Soon it would fall to the might of their legions. He would crush this town and then claim his prize.
The Doctor dashed through the woods. He waved his sonic screwdriver in the air. No good. Wherever the Eminence ship was, it was shielded. He had no idea where they were. Which was why he was currently putting as much distance between him and Christmas as possible. The Eminence wanted power. The only power in Christmas was the crack. The only way to access that power was him. The further he was away from the crack, the longer the Eminence had to search, the more time the Doctor had to prepare. He looked up and saw a snowy mountain. Yes. That would do. Easily defensible. The Doctor took a deep breath and began his hike.
April scowled. She looked about the clock tower. There had to be a way out. She wouldn’t be locked up like some fairy tale princess who needed protecting. What was the Doctor expecting her to be? Rapunzel locked up in her tower only letting her hair down for those she truste- April paused. Rapunzel? She asked herself. April looked about. She found what she sought. She grabbed a huge pile of sheets tossed into a corner. She sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace and began her work.
The Eminence ship made it’s descent. It landed in a small clearing deep in the woods. A stairway lowered. Domina and a small group exited the vessel, all clutching fearsome weapons.
“You know your task,” the Magister’s words echoed in Domina’s head, “find the Time Lord and bring him to me.”
Domina signalled with her fist. Her men split up and crept into the forest. They would search the surrounding area to try and locate the Time Lord. Domina set out into the forest. Where would she search? She looked up and saw a snowy mountain. Easily defendable. A prime strategic spot and Time Lords were meant to be masters of strategy. Domina smiled, loaded her weapon and began her ascent.
The Doctor soniced a chunk of rock. He stepped back as a large boulder broke away. He secured it with several more rocks and attached a large stick he’d found into it to create a lever like system which, when pulled, would release the boulder and crush any who tried to make their way up the mountain. He smiled to himself as he admired his handiwork. He’d spent the last hour setting other such traps all the way up the mountain, making it secure and hard to attack. He turned back and climbed up the cave where he’d made his base of operations. He slipped inside the cave and was surprised to find someone already there. Armoured and her long black hair flowing behind her, the woman gave a cruel smile at the Doctor. The Doctor knew straight away she was one of the Eminence.
“You know, a true master of strategy would have secured his base of operations before setting out to set ‘traps’. Such a typical man.” She said with an edge of cruelty.
“I know. Men eh? Can’t rely on them for anything can you? Us girls have to do all the work.” The Doctor said sarcastically.
The woman scowled. She drew her sword and pointed it at the Doctor’s chin.
“Your hair may be long enough man, but you are no woman” she said.
The Doctor grinned.
“You never know, I could regenerate into a blonde bombshell any day now.” He said with a smile.
The smile was not shared.
“I, Domina of the Magister Hyacintho Eminence flagship, take you prisoner. We have hunted long and hard for you Time Lord, across many generations and many universes. When we heard of the crack we set out on our long and arduous journey across the cold desolation of space and-”
“Ok ok. I surrender. Just stop regaling me with your life story, otherwise I’ll die of old age. And considering it’s me, that would be a feat.”
Domina scowled.
“Move.” She said.
The Doctor grinned.
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
He kicked out with his foot, sending a huge spray of dust into Domina’s face. She spluttered and shielded her eyes. The Doctor swooped down and grabbed a long branch from the floor. Domina rubbed her eyes and looked at the Doctor. She looked at the branch and then at the Doctor again, a look of surprise in her eyes. The Doctor avoided her gaze embarrassed.
“I agree it’s not my finest moment.” He said.
Domina pointed her sword at him.
“Say your prayers Time Lord. If I have to bring you back to the Magister in pieces, then so be it.” She said.
“Oh stop being so serious. If you’re going to fight me than fight me. Unless of course, you’re too scared?” he asked.
She roared and swung at him. The Doctor ducked and prodded her in the ribs with the branch. Not enough to hurt, but enough to annoy. She roared again and slashed downwards. The Doctor rolled and poked her in the bum with the branch. She froze and turned back to him with pure rage on her face. The Doctor turned red.
“I admit,” he said, “in hindsight that probably was not a wise move.”
She charged at him, swinging her sword. The Doctor managed to deflect most of them with the branch, luckily it was thick enough.
“Now!” he cried between slashes, “I realise the poke on the bum was probably a bad idea, but it was funny at the time was it not?” The Doctor jumped as Domina slashed at his legs. “And anyway, what’s a friendly poke on the bottom between friends?”
Domina slashed at him again.
The Doctor stumbled and fell to the floor. His branch fell from his grip. He reached for it only for Domina to stamp her foot down on it and leer at him. The Doctor raised his hands bashfully.
“I surrender?”
April lumbered up the steps, dragging her handiwork behind her. She reached the top of the bell tower. She looked down and gulped. It was a long drop. She pulled her handiwork forwards and tipped it over the edge. The tied together sheets made a long rope. April smiled. She secured the end of the rope, climbed over and began to clamber down the rope. She took deep breaths. She prayed her strength would not falter and her hands would not give. She clambered down the rope. The ground was in sight. And then, she was out of rope and the ground was still a good few feet away. She didn’t have the energy to climb back up and make a longer rope. She had to risk it. She had to fall. April took a deep breath and let go. She fell for a few moments before hitting the ground hard. She winced with pain. She hurt all over. But she couldn’t stop. She had to find the Doctor.
The Doctor walked forwards through the snow. Domina’s sword was pointed at his back, making sure he didn’t stop. The Doctor smiled though. It was all going according to plan. What other way was he going to get on board the Eminence’s ship with no TARDIS other than as their prisoner? Domina shoved the Doctor into a clearing. Before them was the Eminence ship. The Doctor gulped. Here goes.
The Cyberman stomped up to the doors of the clocktower. It pushed harshly on the doors. They burst open. The Cyberman entered the clocktower. It looked about. It was obvious there was no one there.
“Attention! Cyberform detected!” a Cyber head stated.
The Cyberman walked up to the Cyberhead and picked it up. All the organics had been stripped from it and it had been reprogrammed. If the Cyberman could feel emotions, it would feel disgust. A small cybermite detached itself from the Cyberman and worked its way into the head. The cybermite would access the head’s memory and remove any evidence of the Cyberman being there. The Cyberman replaced the head, took one last look around and left.
Magister Hyacintho smiled.
“I’ll say it again Doctor. Speak your name and open the crack. It’s a win-win situation here. You get your people back, we get to harvest the time energy released. So why delay Doctor? Say it, and you can leave.”
“Just one little tiny thing you’re forgetting, war as soon as the Time Lords are released.”
“That’s your concern, not mine,” Hyacintho said leaning back in his throne.
The Doctor looked up at him.
“Oh no of course, because you’ll have what you want.”
Hyacintho smiled. He nodded.
Every soldier in the room drew their weapons and pointed them at the Doctor.
“I’ll try this again,” Hyacintho said, “Speak your name or die.”
The Doctor shrugged.
“Kill me then. Because I will not bring war. Besides, you’ve thrown your biggest gun away. You can’t threaten me with anything else.”
Domina entered the throne room. She walked up to Hyacintho and whispered in his ear. Hyacintho grinned.
“Oh can’t I Doctor?” he asked, and gestured.
April was brought in, flanked by two guards.
“Oh April…” the Doctor said mournfully.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “I had to follow you.”
“So Doctor,” Hyacintho grinned, “Speak your name, or the girl dies.”
The Doctor hung his head.
The guards shoved April near the Doctor and pointed their weapons at her.
“I’ll give you until the count of ten.” Said Hyacintho.
“Nine.”
The Doctor looked up.
“Eight.”
He looked about.
“Seven.”
He thought for a moment.
“Six.”
He smiled.
“Five. Four. Three.”
The Doctor turned to April.
“Two.”
“Get ready to run.”
“One.”
The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, pointed it in the air and pressed. At once sparks flew from every electronic device in the room. Everyone shielded their eyes. Everyone apart from the Doctor and April who ran from the ship. Hyacintho rubbed his eyes and was the first to notice his escaped prisoners.
“After them!” he shouted. “Don’t let them escape!”
The Doctor and April ran through the woods.
“Where are we going?!” she asked.
“Back to the town!”
“Why?!”
“Well where else can we go?! I have to try and contact Tasha! It’s our only chance!”
The Doctor burst into the town and ran up to the Clocktower.
“Tasha! Tasha! TASH!” he shouted.
Nothing.
“Well. That’s just rude.” He said.
The Doctor paced up and down in front of the clocktower.
“We need something!” he said. “They want the time energy from the crack but there’s no way to give them that without opening the crack… or is there?!”
He bounded to April.
“We have about a minute before the Eminence ship gets here. I have a plan.”
“A plan?”
“Yes. Well not really a plan. More part of a plan.”
“How much?”
“12%.”
“12%?! That’s barely even a concept of a plan!”
“Well it’s all we’ve got!”
The Doctor bounded up the Clocktower steps.
“Ready for this? It’s going to be quite a light show.”
There was a loud noise like an engine. April looked up. The Eminence ship hovered above the town.
“Doctor!” Boomed Hyacintho’s voice. “This is your last chance! Open the crack or I destroy this town!”
“Ok.” Said the Doctor.
“Ok?” asked Hyacintho.
“Ok I’ll open the crack.”
“Very well… do it then.”
The Doctor coughed, cleared his throat and spoke.
It wasn’t a word.
It wasn’t a syllable.
It was barely even a letter.
April could not discern it.
It was just a sound.
At once there was a huge boom and a wave of energy burst from the clocktower, shattering the doors. The energy swept upwards and hit the Eminence ship with full force. The ship shook as the energy shaped around it. Alarms blared. There was a huge roar and then… nothing. Both ship and energy had gone. April looked at the Doctor. His shoulders were slumped. She ran up to him.
“What was that?” she asked.
“First stage of the crack opening. I said part of the first letter of my name.” he said.
“Why haven’t you used that before?” she asked.
“Because I could only do it once. Once. I can’t do it again. The only to get anything from the crack now is if I say my full name. I had hoped to save it for something greater. Like Daleks. But I suppose now was a good a time as any.”
The Doctor turned around to return to the clocktower. He paused.
“April, you were very brave today. Well done. I’m sure your father and your mother would be proud.”
April smiled, a small tear in her eye.
“You know what was funny?” the Doctor asked. “The Magister’s name. Hyacintho. Depending on how you look at it, in Latin it translates to Violet. Not everyday you meet a man named Violet.” He chuckled as he walked into the clocktower, blissfully unaware.
Hyacintho growled. The ship was in disarray.
“What still works?!” he yelled.
“Magister, energy has been sapped from all of our systems, but we have enough left for one time jump.” Domina said.
“A time jump. And where would we go?”
“Sir!” a tech called. “We’ve detected… something.”
“What?”
“Earth sir. Planet Earth, the city of New York in the 1930’s. It’s unstable. A paradox of the correct magnitude should be enough to provide the energy we need and more.”
Hyacintho smiled. He leaned back in his throne.
“New York…” he mused. “Set our course Domina. I think it’s time we paid a little visit to the big apple…”
Archie awoke suddenly. He was in the woods. He looked up. Three metal men stood before him. They stepped forwards.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“We are the Cybermen.” One of the metal men said. “You are the Sheriff of Christmas. You have valuable intelligence we require to capture the Doctor.”
“Capture?” asked Archie.
“The Doctor will be taken away from the town of Christmas. He will be unable to open the crack.”
Archie thought. This was exactly what he needed.
“What if you needn’t attack the town at all?” he asked. “What if, I was to give you the Doctor… would you leave the town alone?”
The Cybermen looked at him blankly. After a few moments, one of them spoke.
“The town of Christmas would be spared.”
Archie nodded. With the Doctor out of the way, the town would also be safe from the other invading armies. Archie looked up at the Cybermen.
“I will give you the Doctor. In return, you leave Christmas alone. Do we have a deal?”
The Cybermen looked at each other, then at Archie.
“We have an agreement.” They said.
Archie smiled. Today was a very good day. Soon all of his problems would be over.
“What are you doing here?” she called, “No one is allowed in here without my divine permission!”
The Silent Priest did not respond. It did what they always do. It stood there silently, watching her. It creeped her out.
“Stop that,” she said.
The Silent did not respond. It simply stood there. And then...
Confess... it called.
Tasha looked at it harshly.
“Confess?” she asked, “To what?”
Confess... it said again.
Tasha shifted uncomfortably. She was the Mother Superious. She was guiltless. She shouldn’t have to confess to anything.
“Explain yourself now! Before I have you killed!”
Confess
“Stop that!”
Confess
“Stop it!” Tasha shouted, tears streaming down her face.
Confess
“I SAID STOP IT!” she screamed and burst to her feet.
The Silent Priest stood still.
CONFESS.
“Ok fine! I did it! I killed them! Happy now?! I killed people to get where I am! I don’t see how it’s a confession! Everyone knows this!”
The Silent Priest looked at her... and then turned and left. Tasha blinked. Why was she crying? What had just happened? She shook her head. There was a knock on the door. A Cleric poked his head round the door.
“Mother Superious? There’s a situation.”
“What is it now? Daleks? Cybermen? Judoon? Oh I know! It’s probably the Graske!” Tasha shouted.
“...It’s best if you see it yourself.” Said the Cleric.
The large ship hovered over the planet. Tasha stared at it. It seemed to twist and change the longer she stared at it. She felt a shiver of fear that chilled her to the core. She very rarely felt that.
“Is that?” a Cleric asked.
Tasha hung her head.
“It is. The Eminence have come to Trenzalore.”
The Doctor didn’t know where he was. He dodged and weaved among explosions. He couldn’t see. Suddenly, it cleared. Before him stood a collection of people. Faces long since gone. A young girl stood forward.
“One day I shall come back,” she said mockingly, “but you never came back did you? You flew off in your TARDIS and never gave me a second thought.”
“No... no that’s not true... I was saving you, giving you the normal life you always wanted...” stammered the Doctor.
“Did you really believe I would have been happy with your double? I wanted you. The real you.” A blonde woman said.
“Did you ask my permission before wiping my memory? Maybe I would have preferred to die!” called a ginger woman.
“Did you even try to save him? No. You were selfish and just wanted me all to yourself!” shouted a Scottish woman.
“I could have helped... but you sent me away... I could have saved you...” Clara said.
“No! That’s not true! None of it!” the Doctor cried.
“Doctor... Doctor... Doctor...” they chanted.
“No! Leave me alone! Stop it!” the Doctor shouted.
“Doctor?” a voice asked.
“No!”
“Doctor?”
The Doctor awoke. He was sat in his chair in the clocktower. Handles lay to one side. His face cold and emotionless. The Doctor looked forward. April was leaning over him. It was she who had awoken him. The Doctor shifted.
“Bad dream?” she asked.
The Doctor shifted again.
“Yes... yes something like a bad dream,” he said, choosing his words carefully.
April nodded, knowing best not to inquire. She passed a steaming bowl of soup to him.
“Eat.” She said.
“This is becoming a regular occurrence,” the Doctor laughed.
“It wouldn’t if you ate,” she responded.
The Doctor grinned.
Archibald began his patrol of the town. He was in a bad mood. There was no denying. The Doctor was the cause of it. The town was in danger. And the Doctor was the reason why. He grumbled. The Doctor had to go. He had to be removed. The only way to save the town was to make a deal. Hand the Doctor over to whoever promised to protect the town until the other ships left once they had the Doctor. Yes. That was the thing to do.
Archibald was so lost in his own thoughts he didn’t notice the Cyberman move out of the shadows.
Until it was too late.
High above Trenzalore, the mysterious ship shifted and changed. It was almost time. Deep within, sat on a throne worthy of a king, a figure stepped up. He was tall, broad, with a regal looking visage. His armour was elegant, yet functional, large and ornate. He scowled down at his underlings, who scuttled out of his way. A beautiful woman stepped up to his side. She wore a regal breastplate that ended in a long flowing dress. An ornate sword was strapped to her side. He long black hair cascaded down her back.
“Magister,” she said.
“Domina,” said the Magister, “Are we ready?”
“Our ship has gathered enough time energy to phase out of current timelines. The shield will be no problem,” Domina responded.
“Excellent, you have done well Domina.”
“I live to serve my Magister. In this life and the next.”
He nodded. He stepped up to the ship’s viewport. He smiled.
“Begin our descent.”
Tasha Lem stared with horror at the screen. The ship was heading down to the planet... and the shield wasn’t stopping it. She turned to the clerics, all of whom had similar looks of terror.
“Well don’t just stand there!” she shouted. “Someone patch me through to the Doctor. NOW!”
The Doctor twirled about the clocktower.
“And then I dashed out to the TARDIS, the Police Box not the woman, and found it enveloped in a huge green smoke and it vanished! House had stolen the TARDIS! And Amy and Rory with it! I was trapped! With no way to stop House or save Amy and Rory! But I had a clever plan. I turned to the TARDIS, the woman this time, and we devised a pla-“
“DOCTOR!” Tasha’s voice boomed.
The Doctor turned.
“Ooo,” he turned to April. “Her upstairs is awake.”
“Tasha. Might I add your nostrils are looking extremely ravishing today.” The Doctor said, addressing the large holographic Tasha.
“Doctor, there’s no time for games. I come with a warning.” Tasha said.
“Oh yeah? Let’s hear it.”
“The Eminence have come to Trenzalore.”
The Doctor froze.
“No. No they can’t.”
“They’re here and they’re coming. And I had to warn you.”
“Thanks… is there anything you can do?”
“From up here? No. You’re on your own Doctor. I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault. Goodbye Tasha.”
Tasha Lem vanished. The Doctor adjusted his bowtie.
“Go time.”
The Doctor sprinted down the clock tower steps, April close behind.
“Doctor!” she shouted, “Doctor answer me! What is the Eminence?”
The Doctor paused and turned sadly back to April.
“The Eminence are a war empire, they seek power wherever they go and leave nothing but ashes in their wake. They must be here for a reason. I need to find out what.”
“Ok, so we go look for them right?”
“Yes… Oh April I seem to have left Handles in the clocktower. Go back and get him for me please.”
“Sure!” she turned and ran back inside. The Doctor walked up the steps and shut the doors behind her. He pointed his sonic and pressed. The doors clicked.
“Doctor?” April’s voice called from inside.
The doors shook.
“Doctor!”
They shook again.
“DOCTOR! No! You are not doing this to me!”
“I’m sorry April. It’s too dangerous. You have to stay here.”
“No! You need me!”
The Doctor walked away.
“I don’t need anyone.”
Magister Hyacintho looked at the town of Christmas on his viewscreen. Such a primitive settlement. Soon it would fall to the might of their legions. He would crush this town and then claim his prize.
The Doctor dashed through the woods. He waved his sonic screwdriver in the air. No good. Wherever the Eminence ship was, it was shielded. He had no idea where they were. Which was why he was currently putting as much distance between him and Christmas as possible. The Eminence wanted power. The only power in Christmas was the crack. The only way to access that power was him. The further he was away from the crack, the longer the Eminence had to search, the more time the Doctor had to prepare. He looked up and saw a snowy mountain. Yes. That would do. Easily defensible. The Doctor took a deep breath and began his hike.
April scowled. She looked about the clock tower. There had to be a way out. She wouldn’t be locked up like some fairy tale princess who needed protecting. What was the Doctor expecting her to be? Rapunzel locked up in her tower only letting her hair down for those she truste- April paused. Rapunzel? She asked herself. April looked about. She found what she sought. She grabbed a huge pile of sheets tossed into a corner. She sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace and began her work.
The Eminence ship made it’s descent. It landed in a small clearing deep in the woods. A stairway lowered. Domina and a small group exited the vessel, all clutching fearsome weapons.
“You know your task,” the Magister’s words echoed in Domina’s head, “find the Time Lord and bring him to me.”
Domina signalled with her fist. Her men split up and crept into the forest. They would search the surrounding area to try and locate the Time Lord. Domina set out into the forest. Where would she search? She looked up and saw a snowy mountain. Easily defendable. A prime strategic spot and Time Lords were meant to be masters of strategy. Domina smiled, loaded her weapon and began her ascent.
The Doctor soniced a chunk of rock. He stepped back as a large boulder broke away. He secured it with several more rocks and attached a large stick he’d found into it to create a lever like system which, when pulled, would release the boulder and crush any who tried to make their way up the mountain. He smiled to himself as he admired his handiwork. He’d spent the last hour setting other such traps all the way up the mountain, making it secure and hard to attack. He turned back and climbed up the cave where he’d made his base of operations. He slipped inside the cave and was surprised to find someone already there. Armoured and her long black hair flowing behind her, the woman gave a cruel smile at the Doctor. The Doctor knew straight away she was one of the Eminence.
“You know, a true master of strategy would have secured his base of operations before setting out to set ‘traps’. Such a typical man.” She said with an edge of cruelty.
“I know. Men eh? Can’t rely on them for anything can you? Us girls have to do all the work.” The Doctor said sarcastically.
The woman scowled. She drew her sword and pointed it at the Doctor’s chin.
“Your hair may be long enough man, but you are no woman” she said.
The Doctor grinned.
“You never know, I could regenerate into a blonde bombshell any day now.” He said with a smile.
The smile was not shared.
“I, Domina of the Magister Hyacintho Eminence flagship, take you prisoner. We have hunted long and hard for you Time Lord, across many generations and many universes. When we heard of the crack we set out on our long and arduous journey across the cold desolation of space and-”
“Ok ok. I surrender. Just stop regaling me with your life story, otherwise I’ll die of old age. And considering it’s me, that would be a feat.”
Domina scowled.
“Move.” She said.
The Doctor grinned.
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
He kicked out with his foot, sending a huge spray of dust into Domina’s face. She spluttered and shielded her eyes. The Doctor swooped down and grabbed a long branch from the floor. Domina rubbed her eyes and looked at the Doctor. She looked at the branch and then at the Doctor again, a look of surprise in her eyes. The Doctor avoided her gaze embarrassed.
“I agree it’s not my finest moment.” He said.
Domina pointed her sword at him.
“Say your prayers Time Lord. If I have to bring you back to the Magister in pieces, then so be it.” She said.
“Oh stop being so serious. If you’re going to fight me than fight me. Unless of course, you’re too scared?” he asked.
She roared and swung at him. The Doctor ducked and prodded her in the ribs with the branch. Not enough to hurt, but enough to annoy. She roared again and slashed downwards. The Doctor rolled and poked her in the bum with the branch. She froze and turned back to him with pure rage on her face. The Doctor turned red.
“I admit,” he said, “in hindsight that probably was not a wise move.”
She charged at him, swinging her sword. The Doctor managed to deflect most of them with the branch, luckily it was thick enough.
“Now!” he cried between slashes, “I realise the poke on the bum was probably a bad idea, but it was funny at the time was it not?” The Doctor jumped as Domina slashed at his legs. “And anyway, what’s a friendly poke on the bottom between friends?”
Domina slashed at him again.
The Doctor stumbled and fell to the floor. His branch fell from his grip. He reached for it only for Domina to stamp her foot down on it and leer at him. The Doctor raised his hands bashfully.
“I surrender?”
April lumbered up the steps, dragging her handiwork behind her. She reached the top of the bell tower. She looked down and gulped. It was a long drop. She pulled her handiwork forwards and tipped it over the edge. The tied together sheets made a long rope. April smiled. She secured the end of the rope, climbed over and began to clamber down the rope. She took deep breaths. She prayed her strength would not falter and her hands would not give. She clambered down the rope. The ground was in sight. And then, she was out of rope and the ground was still a good few feet away. She didn’t have the energy to climb back up and make a longer rope. She had to risk it. She had to fall. April took a deep breath and let go. She fell for a few moments before hitting the ground hard. She winced with pain. She hurt all over. But she couldn’t stop. She had to find the Doctor.
The Doctor walked forwards through the snow. Domina’s sword was pointed at his back, making sure he didn’t stop. The Doctor smiled though. It was all going according to plan. What other way was he going to get on board the Eminence’s ship with no TARDIS other than as their prisoner? Domina shoved the Doctor into a clearing. Before them was the Eminence ship. The Doctor gulped. Here goes.
The Cyberman stomped up to the doors of the clocktower. It pushed harshly on the doors. They burst open. The Cyberman entered the clocktower. It looked about. It was obvious there was no one there.
“Attention! Cyberform detected!” a Cyber head stated.
The Cyberman walked up to the Cyberhead and picked it up. All the organics had been stripped from it and it had been reprogrammed. If the Cyberman could feel emotions, it would feel disgust. A small cybermite detached itself from the Cyberman and worked its way into the head. The cybermite would access the head’s memory and remove any evidence of the Cyberman being there. The Cyberman replaced the head, took one last look around and left.
Magister Hyacintho smiled.
“I’ll say it again Doctor. Speak your name and open the crack. It’s a win-win situation here. You get your people back, we get to harvest the time energy released. So why delay Doctor? Say it, and you can leave.”
“Just one little tiny thing you’re forgetting, war as soon as the Time Lords are released.”
“That’s your concern, not mine,” Hyacintho said leaning back in his throne.
The Doctor looked up at him.
“Oh no of course, because you’ll have what you want.”
Hyacintho smiled. He nodded.
Every soldier in the room drew their weapons and pointed them at the Doctor.
“I’ll try this again,” Hyacintho said, “Speak your name or die.”
The Doctor shrugged.
“Kill me then. Because I will not bring war. Besides, you’ve thrown your biggest gun away. You can’t threaten me with anything else.”
Domina entered the throne room. She walked up to Hyacintho and whispered in his ear. Hyacintho grinned.
“Oh can’t I Doctor?” he asked, and gestured.
April was brought in, flanked by two guards.
“Oh April…” the Doctor said mournfully.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “I had to follow you.”
“So Doctor,” Hyacintho grinned, “Speak your name, or the girl dies.”
The Doctor hung his head.
The guards shoved April near the Doctor and pointed their weapons at her.
“I’ll give you until the count of ten.” Said Hyacintho.
“Nine.”
The Doctor looked up.
“Eight.”
He looked about.
“Seven.”
He thought for a moment.
“Six.”
He smiled.
“Five. Four. Three.”
The Doctor turned to April.
“Two.”
“Get ready to run.”
“One.”
The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, pointed it in the air and pressed. At once sparks flew from every electronic device in the room. Everyone shielded their eyes. Everyone apart from the Doctor and April who ran from the ship. Hyacintho rubbed his eyes and was the first to notice his escaped prisoners.
“After them!” he shouted. “Don’t let them escape!”
The Doctor and April ran through the woods.
“Where are we going?!” she asked.
“Back to the town!”
“Why?!”
“Well where else can we go?! I have to try and contact Tasha! It’s our only chance!”
The Doctor burst into the town and ran up to the Clocktower.
“Tasha! Tasha! TASH!” he shouted.
Nothing.
“Well. That’s just rude.” He said.
The Doctor paced up and down in front of the clocktower.
“We need something!” he said. “They want the time energy from the crack but there’s no way to give them that without opening the crack… or is there?!”
He bounded to April.
“We have about a minute before the Eminence ship gets here. I have a plan.”
“A plan?”
“Yes. Well not really a plan. More part of a plan.”
“How much?”
“12%.”
“12%?! That’s barely even a concept of a plan!”
“Well it’s all we’ve got!”
The Doctor bounded up the Clocktower steps.
“Ready for this? It’s going to be quite a light show.”
There was a loud noise like an engine. April looked up. The Eminence ship hovered above the town.
“Doctor!” Boomed Hyacintho’s voice. “This is your last chance! Open the crack or I destroy this town!”
“Ok.” Said the Doctor.
“Ok?” asked Hyacintho.
“Ok I’ll open the crack.”
“Very well… do it then.”
The Doctor coughed, cleared his throat and spoke.
It wasn’t a word.
It wasn’t a syllable.
It was barely even a letter.
April could not discern it.
It was just a sound.
At once there was a huge boom and a wave of energy burst from the clocktower, shattering the doors. The energy swept upwards and hit the Eminence ship with full force. The ship shook as the energy shaped around it. Alarms blared. There was a huge roar and then… nothing. Both ship and energy had gone. April looked at the Doctor. His shoulders were slumped. She ran up to him.
“What was that?” she asked.
“First stage of the crack opening. I said part of the first letter of my name.” he said.
“Why haven’t you used that before?” she asked.
“Because I could only do it once. Once. I can’t do it again. The only to get anything from the crack now is if I say my full name. I had hoped to save it for something greater. Like Daleks. But I suppose now was a good a time as any.”
The Doctor turned around to return to the clocktower. He paused.
“April, you were very brave today. Well done. I’m sure your father and your mother would be proud.”
April smiled, a small tear in her eye.
“You know what was funny?” the Doctor asked. “The Magister’s name. Hyacintho. Depending on how you look at it, in Latin it translates to Violet. Not everyday you meet a man named Violet.” He chuckled as he walked into the clocktower, blissfully unaware.
Hyacintho growled. The ship was in disarray.
“What still works?!” he yelled.
“Magister, energy has been sapped from all of our systems, but we have enough left for one time jump.” Domina said.
“A time jump. And where would we go?”
“Sir!” a tech called. “We’ve detected… something.”
“What?”
“Earth sir. Planet Earth, the city of New York in the 1930’s. It’s unstable. A paradox of the correct magnitude should be enough to provide the energy we need and more.”
Hyacintho smiled. He leaned back in his throne.
“New York…” he mused. “Set our course Domina. I think it’s time we paid a little visit to the big apple…”
Archie awoke suddenly. He was in the woods. He looked up. Three metal men stood before him. They stepped forwards.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“We are the Cybermen.” One of the metal men said. “You are the Sheriff of Christmas. You have valuable intelligence we require to capture the Doctor.”
“Capture?” asked Archie.
“The Doctor will be taken away from the town of Christmas. He will be unable to open the crack.”
Archie thought. This was exactly what he needed.
“What if you needn’t attack the town at all?” he asked. “What if, I was to give you the Doctor… would you leave the town alone?”
The Cybermen looked at him blankly. After a few moments, one of them spoke.
“The town of Christmas would be spared.”
Archie nodded. With the Doctor out of the way, the town would also be safe from the other invading armies. Archie looked up at the Cybermen.
“I will give you the Doctor. In return, you leave Christmas alone. Do we have a deal?”
The Cybermen looked at each other, then at Archie.
“We have an agreement.” They said.
Archie smiled. Today was a very good day. Soon all of his problems would be over.
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