A Promise Through Time
By Lars the Goddess
Chapter 1
Duo studied the scene before him in confusion. He was in a hospital room, something he had seen a lot of during the war.
A woman lay in between the white sheets of the small bed, machines beeping around her as she held a young child to her.
He couldn't quite make out her face as he tried to figure out who she was. However, the young boy had a familiar look about
him as his short chestnut hair fell into disturbingly violet eyes.
He knew immediately that the child had to be him, even though the clothes were out of date by probably a few hundred years.
No one wore those type of slacks with that style vest these days. Yet, there was definitely no doubt that the boy was him.
Looking to the side, he found a man standing a little ways from the bed, as if to give the obvious mother and son a moment of
privacy. His clothes were even more out of date and just plain odd as he wore a velvet coat, complimented by a cape that
extended down to the backs of his knees. His white hair gave him a distinguished look and his kind eyes practically hypnotized
you into trusting him.
No one seemed to notice the braided pilot as the mother spoke softly to the child, her words drifting to his ears. She was
comforting the child, her voice thick with tears as she gave him a hug and kiss.
"The war destroyed our family, Cedric, and mommy can't take care of you anymore. I want you to go with the Doctor. He'll
take you to a new family where there is only peace. You will have a happy childhood. Mommy loves you," she said, her voice
growing weaker and weaker as she lost strength.
"I wuv you too, mommy," the child said as he kissed her cheek. He didn't seem to understand what his mother said, but then
he was only about five years old.
Duo stared, trying harder to see the face of the woman who was his mother. "Cedric," he mouthed as he tried out the name she
had called his smaller version. "Is my name Cedric?" he asked himself, half doubting everything that was happening.
The older man had picked the violet-eyed child up and was letting him play with his cape while he talked to the mother. He then
gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before shifting Cedric in his arms and walking out the door. Everything began to shift
in Duo's vision as he heard a long beep from the heart monitor, signaling his mother's death.
Unshed tears formed in his eyes as he felt a sense of loss for being robbed of his one chance to see his mother's face. She
was dead and there was no way he would ever have the chance again. However, more seemed to be happening as the swirling
mass that had been the hospital room changed colors and began to coalesce into another image.
The old man, called the Doctor, was helping Cedric out of a yellow roadster which was sheltered safely inside a small garage.
Leading him by his small hand, he walked outside and around toward the back of a dilapidating white house. Duo followed,
not willing to miss one thing that might help him figure out what this was all about.
Walking around the corner into the backyard, the braided boy's senses were overpowered by the sweet scent of flowers as they
stepped into a garden that had long since turned wild. Walking along a small cobble path that had avoided being taken over,
the Doctor stopped when he came to a small corner where a tall blue Police Telephone Box was nestled in among some of the taller
plants.
Deathscythe's pilot looked at it funny while his child form stood in awe. the only reason the braided boy knew it was a telephone
box was because it said it on the top. This version was long since outdated and he wondered from what period in time it was
from? The child had a different question though. "Why's that here? I've never seen one in a yard before," he
said in a soft, curious voice.
The Doctor just laughed. "Because this one is special. Just wait a moment and you'll see why," he said as he pulled a key
from the front of his velvet jacket with a flourish before fitting into the lock on the door.
They all walked in, Duo's form haunting them as he followed close behind, unwilling to get stuck outside. His questions
were multiplying every second and he wasn't about to miss a chance for some answers. Stepping in after Cedric, he stopped
as his mouth dropped to the floor.
The Doctor shut the door with a switch on an octagonal console before looking at the child who had a twin expression on his
face. "It's bigger on the inside than on the outside," he said simply, stating the exact thoughts that were racing through
the American's mind.
"I won't bother explaining how it is possible. It's too complicated for a young mind like yours," the Doctor added as
he turned back to the console and began to press switches. "I suppose you're also wondering how we will get anywhere in this as well."
The child nodded as the older man brought up the next question on Duo's mind. He waited with bated breath as he had the feeling
that the answers to a lot more questions was near.
"Well, you see, we are going to travel through time and space. I'm going to take you to the future where you will live on a
colony in space with your new family. It is peaceful there and you will have a happy childhood just like your mother
wanted."
Both violet-eyed boys stared in shock. Is this how he had come to be on L2? But he didn't remember this or ever having a
family. If he was suppose to have a happy childhood instead of the sorry excuse for one he had lived, what had happened
to change what was intended?
After thinking about this for a few minutes, Duo decided that there was only one way to find out. He had to continue following
this man and his child self in hopes that he would be shown what happened.
The Doctor punched one last button with a grin, "There now, it won't be long." The two boys watched as the large cylinder
in the middle of the control panel began to rise and fall as a noise filled the air and died down. "Now, then. What should
we do while we wait..." the man's voice trailed off as everything began to swirl once more.
When everything became clear once more, they were standing in the sitting room of a small but beautiful house. A man and
woman stood nearby, talking to the Doctor as Cedric sat dejectedly on the couch. He didn't look too happy about being
left here.
The Doctor came up to him and knelt before him, his big hand resting lightly on the young boy's knee. "I have to go now,
but I will come back one day. I promised your mother before we left and now I promise you that when you're old enough, I
will take you to see her so she may know how you turned out."
"When will I be old enough?" he asked. "I wanna go now."
"Oh, but you've only just left her side," the Doctor said with a small smile. "You will know when you are old enough and then
you will have to signal for me because I won't know to come back if you don't."
The boy nodded his understanding, his short hair falling into his violet eyes once more. He began to look eager to know what
he must do.
"Now," he said as he pulled something out of his pocket. "All you have to do is blow this whistle and it will send a signal
to the TARDIS. The whistle will tell me where you are and I will come and get you. It's simple as that."
Duo's brow wrinkled, but where could the whistle be if this was all really true. He didn't own a whistle and couldn't ever
remember having one. The answer why was quick to come.
Cedric was reaching for the silver metal just as the Doctor moved it out of his reach. "Ah, ah, ah," he said. "This whistle
is very important and we don't want you to lose it before you need it. I will give it to a dear friend who will see that
you receive it when he deems you old enough. Does that sound good to you?" he asked as he looked the child in the eyes.
"Yes," the boy said, pouting a little because he wasn't being permitted to care for it himself.
Duo shook his head. "I had no idea I was so spoiled," he whispered to himself.
"My friends name is Father Maxwell. He lives in a small church on this colony. He will see that you get it when it is time,"
the old man said, his voice echoing as once again the scene began to change.
His thoughts were going a mile a minute as he tried to register this last bit of information. But if Father Maxwell had been
the caretaker of the whistle, then it must have been destroyed or stolen. There was no way he could find it now. Too bad
his mentor wasn't around anymore to ask.
Everything began to happen quickly as one picture faded into another. The braided Gundam pilot saw Cedric staring teary
eyed at the house that had been his home while it burned to a pile of ash. Everyone seemed to ignore him as he wondered
away, the look on his face fading to that of someone lost. It soon became apparent that he had forgotten who he was. That
was why he couldn't remember any of this.
The pictures then began to show quick flashes of his life with Solo and then Father Maxwell and Sister Helen until it came
to that fateful day when Duo had become Shinigami in his heart. It was the day Father Maxwell and Sister Helen had died, the
day of the Maxwell Church Massacre. The young Cedric, now Duo, sat beside the dying Father. He was crying harsh, racking
sobs as the man he cared about began to cough again. "Don't leave me," he whispered to the old man.
Duo's eyes began to tear as the old memories were brought back to life. He would never forget this day and all he had lost.
For that reason, he fought in hopes of destroying all the evil that would do something so terrible as this.
The Father just shook his head. "I don't...have...much time," he panted weakly. "You must...take...my cross in...our memory
and...guard it with your...life," he finished as he managed to weakly place the silver crucifix around the child's neck.
"But, Father, you can't leave me," he cried as the man took his last dying breath.
Could that be it? Duo thought as everything went black...
***
BEEP BEEP BEEP
Duo jumped awake at the sound of his alarm going off. He hated the thing with a passion, but it was the only thing that would
keep him on time when it came to a mission. He looked around as he tried to shake the last effects of his dream. There was
no time to think about that now, he had a mission to worry about.
Looking around his room, he noted that it wasn't quite light out yet, the only sources of light being the digital clock on
his nightstand and the laptop monitor sporting the blue screen of death from not being turned off properly last night. Slowly
crawling out of bed, he made his way over to the desk that sat under the dark window and cut all power to the machine. He
then went to the small dresser standing in the corner near the door and grabbed some clothes to get dressed.
Once he had finished putting the elastic band at the end of his braid, he quickly made his way downstairs to grab a bit
of breakfast before heading out. It was then, while he was eating his stale cereal and lumpy milk that he thought to look
at the silver cross that lay against his chest under his black shirt. Pulling it out by it's chain, he studied it closer than
he had ever thought to before.
He always knew that it was a strange looking cross, but it never occurred to him to figure out why. The Jesus figure hung on
there like on any other crucifix, his hands and feet pinned to the cold metal. However, it looked as if the cross piece
had been broken off of the main structure and then replaced. Also, on the bottom, back of the longer part, there was a perfect square hole in the hollow silver.
It had never occurred to him that it had been a whistle disguised.
He could only assume that Father Maxwell had had this made when he found out Duo had lost his memory. That way he could pass
it on to him and he could use it if he ever remembered. But, if this was the whistle, that would mean that his dream was
true.
He sat there for a moment as everything that had happened in it flashed through his mind. It had to be true and what would
the harm be in trying. If he had a mother at one time, he would do anything to see her and get to know her.
Putting the end of the silver cross to his mouth, he blew as hard as he could and listened. He heard nothing.
Did it work? What if it was damaged when it was made into a cross?
"Duo?" a voice asked from the kitchen door.
Dropping the cross, his thoughts fled his mind as he turned to the side to see Heero standing there. "Yeah? What is it?"
"Don't you have a mission you should be leaving for?" he asked in his normal monotone.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Hey, I'll see ya later!" the braided pilot said as he beat a hasty retreat, unwilling to be caught by any
questions as to what he had been doing sitting there with his cross in his mouth.
***
The Doctor sat on the floor of his TARDIS in front of a small chest board, a small metal dog on the other side. Brushing
a mass of brown curls from his face, he suddenly gave a large, toothy smile as he made a move. "There, counter that one, K9,"
he said to the machine.
"Yes, master," it replied in a clipped, mechanical voice. "Seven moves to check mate."
"Nonsense, K9. I'll beat you, yet," he muttered to himself as he stood, adjusting his ridiculously long scarf so it wouldn't
trip him up. "The odds will prove to be with me you know," he added, deciding that it would help aid his point.
"The odds are nine billion, five hundred seventy six to one against you, master."
"Now, you listen here," the Doctor began as he pointed a finger at the machine. However, he never had the chance to finish
as a loud tone began to ring throughout the TARDIS. Rushing over to the console, he began to mess with a few switches as
a door flew open and a young girl, who couldn't be more than 13 years old, appeared.
"Doctor, what is that terrible noise!" she shouted as she rushed up to his side.
"I'm not quite sure," he admitted as he continued to flip switches and turn knobs.
"It is a call beacon, most likely long range," the mechanical voice said as the machine moved to where the doctor and his
companion stood.
"A call beacon?" the Doctor asked himself. "Now, when would I have installed one of those. No matter, what do you say we
go find out who is doing the calling, huh, Ailith?"
"If you say so, Doctor," she replied in a dejected voice. "But I'd like answering it better if you knew who it was ahead of
time."
"Where's your sense of adventure?" he asked even as he set the new coordinates. They were now going to Earth, AC 195.
***
Duo quickly threw his body through the door of a darkened room as he waited for the sound of footsteps to fade. They were
more hurried than they should have been considering no one had yet found out he was there. Already, he had retrieved the
information he had been sent for and he was now making his way out of the OZ base and to safety.
He was about to step out of the room and continue his rush to safety when the sounds of a man and woman talking approached
him.
"So, who do you think the prisoners are?" the woman asked as they came closer.
"All I know is that it's an older man and a young girl. From the brief report, all that was really told was they were both
dressed strangely," the man replied, his voice carrying a pompous tone at his ability to answer with as much detail as possible.
"I can't help but wonder how they got this far into our defenses. They should have been spotted before they even entered the
forest on the south perimeter. And from the sounds of it, there is no way thy could be spy's," the woman's voice added as their
footsteps faded around the corner.
Duo checked the corridor and continued on his way as he mulled over this new bit of information. However, as the exit loomed
in sight he had little time to continue his thoughts as he began to decide on how to best get through the open area to safety
without being spotted.
***
The green forest was alive with the sounds of animals as the wind gently rustled the leaves. There was a small clearing filled
with animals as they foraged for their afternoon meals. Peace was all around until a strange sound filled the air, scaring
off some of the smaller creatures to skitter frightened into the under brush.
In the middle of the small clearing, the TARDIS dematerialized, it's scarred blue paint taking away from the natural beauty.
The sound of voices could be heard as the Doctor opened the door and stepped out cautiously with Ailith right at his heels.
They never knew what type of trouble they could get into just stepping out of the TARDIS.
The Doctor took a look around as he placed his hands inside the pockets of his knee length jacket, ignoring his scarf as
it trailed the ground behind him. Ailith also took in the environment, making sure to stay near the safety of the blue
box until she deemed she was safe. The wind whipped her long brown locks as she watched a small rabbit hop close to study
the intruders. She immediately dismissed it as harmless and soon found herself standing beside the Doctor.
"You know those clothes really aren't appropriate for walking through the woods," he said as he looked her up and down.
"But why ever not?" the young girl asked as she looked down at her attire. She was wearing a flowing black dress that had
a low cut neckline and a pair of knee height black boots with a thick two inch heel. She thought that they were quite
comfortable and had taken a liking to the outfit out of the entire selection the wardrobe room had to offer.
"Suit yourself," the Doctor said as he began to walk away. "Come along now, let's see why we were called here so we can get on with life."
"Doctor? Do you think that after this we could go on a nice relaxing vacation? It seems forever since we had a chance to
rest."
"Ailith, why don't we go on a nice vacation after this. I think we deserve a vacation after all we've been through lately,"
the tall man said as his companion rushed to catch up with him.
"That's a wonderful idea, Doctor," the girl said. "I only wish I could have thought of something that brilliant."
"It takes time, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it," the curly haired man said moments before five men came out of the trees
and surrounded them, pointing primitive looking guns at them. The two travelers stopped and Ailith stared at the men in fright and wonder.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" one man demanded, as he stepped forward, revealing the insignia on his uniform
that stated he was the commanding officer of these men and in control.
"Why, hello. I'm the Doctor and this Ailith, " the timelord said as he produced a white package from his pocket, causing
the soldiers around him to tense. "Care for a jelly baby?" he asked as he popped one of the sweets into his mouth.
"Why are you here?" the man demanded, ignoring the offer.
"Ahhh, well, we were looking for a friend, but it seems we got lost. If you could so kindly point us in the direction where
people won't surround us with guns, we'll gladly continue our search there," the Doctor said with a warm, toothy smile on
his face.
"Seize and cuff them," the man yelled out the orders. "I'm sure you will be more willing to answer our questions at the
base."
The two cooperated as the men came up to them and twisted their arms behind their backs, placing mechanical cuffs around their
wrists. "What a waste," the Doctor complained loudly as one of the soldiers threw the package of jelly babies on the ground before
slapping the cuffs on him. They were then led through the woods until they finally came into view of a large complex of buildings.
"What are they going to do to us?" Ailith asked, apprehension making her voice thick.
"Oh, my guess is they'll question us in hopes that we can tell them something about their enemy. They might even torture us
with some old method like pushing splinters under our nails in hopes we'll talk," he added causing his young companion to
become slightly queasy.
"Why does the bad stuff always happen to us?" she muttered under her breath.
Suddenly, there was the sound of gunfire as they entered the open yard leading to the buildings. Looking around, they
immediately spotted a young man as he aimed his gun at another of their guards who seemed to be the only people in the yard
at the moment. A hole was in the truck the boy was hiding behind, proving that one of their guards had spotted him and
attempted to eliminate him.
Unfortunately, he missed, leaving the entire squad sitting ducks in the boy's line of fire. The soldiers immediately scattered,
leaving their prisoners to fend for themselves while a firefight began. The Doctor motioned with his head for Ailith to follow
him as he ran to hide behind a truck well out of reach of any stray bullets.
"I wonder who the boy is?" she said as she panted slightly. "Probably what they thought we were. A spy," he answered as
he turned his side to her back. "Reach into my pocket and hand me my sonic screwdriver," he said.
She did as he asked without question as she pulled it from the cluttered pocket. "Now what?" she asked, unsure as to what
he had planned exactly.
Turning his back to her, he felt with his hands until the lock to his cuffs was in line with the tip of the small tool. "Just
press the button," he said as he waited patiently for her to do as he asked.
She did and his restraints fell to the ground, freeing his hands. Turning, he grabbed the tool from her and did the same to her
own cuffs. When they were both free, he replaced the sonic screwdriver in his pocket before crouching down to observe the
young boy who had eliminated the rest of the soldiers and was now making his way towards them undercover of trucks and
machinery.
Once he reached them, he looked the two unlikely prisoners up and down before smirking. "You don't look like the average
spy. What'd you do to be brought here?" he asked as he flipped a long chestnut braid over his shoulder.
"We happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as usual," Ailith said grudgingly as she gave the Doctor a
meaningful look.
"Actually, we received a signal and were answering it. We must have just landed the TARDIS in a bad place, but this is where
the signal was coming from," the Doctor said as he brushed his hair from his face, not noticing the look of surprise that
crossed the boy's violet eyes. "By the way, I'm the Doctor and this is Ailith," he said with a roguish grin.
"Yeah? I'm Duo, but this isn't exactly a good place to get to know each other. Come on and I'll get you out of here,"
he said as he reloaded his gun, just in case.
Ailith just studied him for a moment, taking in his handsome features as she tried to figure out why someone so young would
be forced to fight in a war. However, she quickly lost her train of thought as he gestured for them to follow as he sprinted
across a large open area, covering every direction with his weapon.
They paused behind a stack of crates near the edge of the forest and he gave her a funny look. "How do you run in those things?"
he asked with a confused smile on his face as he studied the two inch heels she was wearing.
She shrugged, causing her brown hair to fall over the back of her shoulder. "Instinct," she said simply, giving him a look
that meant she wouldn't explain any further.
Nodding once, he then led the way to safety in silence.
***
The three were walking through the woods, the Doctor leading now as he seemed to know how to get to the TARDIS from where
they were. Ailith, who was beginning to grow bored with her surroundings started up a conversation with the young man.
"So, do you think you could help us find the person who signaled us?" she asked as she stepped over a fallen branch.
"Heh, well, actually, I think you already found him, but there's only one problem," the boy said.
The Doctor had stopped. "What's that?" she asked.
"He's not the Doctor I remember. The man I remember had white hair and wore velvet."
Ailith laughed, "Doctor, when did you ever have white hair?" she asked innocently.
He gave her an annoyed look as he flung the ends of his long scarf over his right shoulder. "That was my last incarnation.
But I don't seem to remember asking someone to signal me at a most inconvenient time."
"I'm sorry," Duo said even as his violet eyes lit up with excitement at this information. "I had no idea that it would
be inconvenient. I didn't even remember you until last night. I lost my memory when I was a kid and only just got it back."
"So we met when you were a kid?" the Doctor asked. "I don't seem to remember anyone named Duo," he said as he looked
thoughtful.
"You shouldn't. I guess my real name was Cedric. At least that's what I was called in my dream. You promised to take
me to see my real mother in the past before the colonies when I was older. You told me that this whistle," he said as he
held up the silver cross that had been hidden in his shirt,"would signal you and you would come to get me.
"You gave it to Father Maxwell for safe keeping and he had it placed in to this cross which he gave to me moments before he
died. I was only a kid then," he said, a mournful look briefly crossing his face. "Anyway, I blew it this morning and here
you are."
"Yes, I do seem to remember a Cedric now that I think about it. He was much shorter, so was his hair, but I see the
resemblance. Your mother lived in the 1940's before the colonies," he added as he had a thoughtful expression on his
face.
"Very well, if I promised to take you to see her, then that's what I'll do."
"Wait," Duo said. "I have to get this information to my friends, it's extremely important. If they don't receive the transmission
I sent, then they can't continue with the mission without this."
"Don't worry, I'll have you back in plenty of time to give it to them. Remember the TARDIS travels through time and I
can bring you back to almost this exact moment."
"All right then, what are we waiting for?" the pilot said with little actual need of convincing. "Take me to see my mother!"
he said as they approached the familiar blue Police Telephone Box and stepped inside. The sound of their taking off filled
the air and the cylinder in the middle of the control panel began to steadily rise and fall as he three of them disappeared
on their way to 1943 before the colonies.
Chapter 2
Duo could barely control his excitement at the prospect of meeting his mother for what seemed the first time. During the
trip, Ailith had done her best to entertain the happy boy by explaining to him how timelords could regenerate and how the
Doctor was hundreds of years older than he looked. However, he was only listening with half an ear until he realized she
had asked him a question.
"So, what is it like living in a time you weren't even born in?"
"Huh? Well, I'm not sure. I don't remember too much before this time, only being brought here by the Doctor," he replied
as his eyes became unfocused as he thought of the memories he had newly acquired.
"Yes, which brings me to a question, Cedric," the Doctor pushed into their conversation.
"It's Duo now, Doctor," the braided boy decided to correct him. There was no reason he should be called Cedric now. After all,
that boy was supposed to have lived a happy, carefree life.
"Right then, Duo. I recall you were supposed to have a good life. What happened, how did you become a spy?" the curly haired
man asked as he flung the ends of his scarf on his shoulder to keep them out of the way as he crouched to look at a chess
game sitting on a box near the console.
"Well, to put it simply, shit happened. My adoptive parents died in a fire and I lost my memory. I lived on the streets
until Father Maxwell found me and took me in. After the Maxwell Church Massacre, I was taken in by this man who was a Doctor.
He trained me to be a Gundam Pilot and the training was only complimented by my skills learned on the street. I have stealth
beyond any other living thing and have become one of the best thieves known of today," he said as he placed his hands behind
his head with a cocky smile pasted on his face.
"I see, and what is a Gundam Pilot?" the man asked. "I'm not familiar with anything by that name."
Duo was about to explain when the mechanical dog that he had noticed when they walked into the TARDIS spoke up in a clipped
voice. "A Gundam is a mobile suit modified with Gundanium alloy, a metal superior to all others. There are only five in existence
and they are all piloted by young boys similar in skill to Duo Maxwell. The others were likely trained from a young age to
be the best. They fight against the original two sides of the war in an attempt to bring peace to the earth and the colonies."
"That's right, how'd he know all that?" Duo asked in amazement. "He even knew the last name I adopted."
"I retrieved the information from a file that was being sent from the base."
"Oh, but that was my transmission. No one should have been able to intercept it!" Duo said, panic making it's way into
his voice.
"Nonsense, K9 is able to intercept and decode anything. I'm sure your enemies, on the other hand, can't. They don't have
the right technology," Ailith said immediately, hoping to calm the strange boy down.
"I hope you're right," he said just as the sound of a beep from the console kept Duo from continuing as the Doctor jumped up.
"Ah, we're here. I'm just going to dematerialize and you'll be able to meet your mother," the brown haired man said as he
worked a few knobs and flicked some switches.
The overjoyed look returned to Duo's face as he rushed to the Doctor's side with Ailith trailing behind him.
***
Stepping out of the TARDIS, the three travelers looked around the deserted, unkempt street. The buildings were squat and domeshaped, sitting silently on either side of the dead end street. The hard material used to build them had holes in many places
and disintegrating, scorched marks in others. Ailith walked up to one of the scorch marks to study it as the Doctor and Duo took a
look at the small holes dotting the opposite side of the street. As she ran one of her fingers along the blackened wall, parts crumbled
away easily. Her brow creased in curiosity as she tried to figure out what could have done such a thing to something so sturdy.
"Doctor," she called. "It looks like some sort of laser beam was used to do this. It was probably a weapon," she said as he moved
across the street to look at what she was talking about.
Looking at the spot for a moment, he scratched his nose. "Yes, I think you're right."
"There's bullet holes over here," Duo added as he dropped one of the small bits of metal he had managed to fish out of the
wall. "Looks like a battle was fought here, but the thing is, where is here. This definitely isn't Earth, at least not the
past."
The young girl looked to the Doctor, "He's right you know, on all counts. Where are we?" she asked.
The curly haired man stared down the street looking as if he hadn't heard her at all. Finally, he spoke up, "I'm not sure,
but I think we should find out what did this," he said, gesturing to the black mark.
"But, Doctor, you promised a vacation, not another adventure!" Ailith cried in dismay.
"Ahh, but we haven't finished taking Duo to see his mother. I said we'd go on a vacation after."
The brunette girl glared at him, but was quickly distracted by some movement a few streets up from theirs. "Umm, Doctor,
something's moving over there."
"What?" the timelord asked as he looked where she was pointing. His eyes grew wide at what he saw and he immediately gestured
for the two to follow him as he circled around to the back of the TARDIS which was hidden in the shadow of one of the short
buildings.
"What is it?" Duo asked, he had only caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a metal robot, but he wasn't sure what to make
of it.
"A Dalek," the older man said in an ominous tone.
"What's that?" the braided boy asked, never hearing the term before.
Ailith answered his question, "They're a sort of war machine that were created on the planet Scaro by a man named Davros.
They are extremely ruthless and have no understanding of pity. They betrayed their creator and set out to conquer the universe.
The Doctor has stopped them before, and I'm getting that this time will be no different if he has anything to say about it."
The Doctor turned to her with an appraising look on his face. "How'd you know all of that," he asked.
"I know everything," she simply said. "So, what are we gonna do? We can't very well leave these poor people in the clutches
of those dreadful machines."
"You're right, we're going to destroy them."
"Really? How?" Duo asked as he rubbed his hands together. "I'm guessing that bullets don't work so well on them, so what
do we use. Explosives?" he asked as a glimmer appeared in his eyes.
"You're very destructive for your age, you know that, right?" Ailith said before turning her attention to the Doctor as he
began to devise an answer.
"Well, first we have to find out what they are up to exactly. There's a reason they chose this place over thousands of others."
"So, once we know that, we can find a way to ruin their plan and make them leave at the least," Ailith finished for him as
she realized what he was saying.
"Exactly," he said. "Come on, then," he said as he set off down the street. "No use wasting time dallying around back
there," he added over his shoulder.
Ailith immediately set off behind him, her boot heels clicking noisily on the cobble street. She seemed completely unaffected
by it, but it grated on Duo's nerves as he was more used to sneaking around then announcing his presence like the two time
travelers were doing.
Shrugging off the uncomfortable feeling he had, he quickly moved to catch up to them. "When in Rome...," he muttered to himself
as they continued down the middle of the open streets with their heads held high.
***
The building was three times larger than any of the other uniform structures the three had seen so far. It seemed the most likely
place for the Daleks to set up their headquarters and the three turned in that direction as they grew closer. The gates in
front of the building came into view and they noticed a Dalek patrol of five standing there. The Doctor pointed to a side street that
led to the left of the gates and they continued on, being more cautious about the noise they made. Managing to circle around to the side wall
around the large building, they moved up to it, keeping an eye out for any more patrols that might catch them off guard.
Throwing the ends of his scarf over his right shoulder, the Doctor grabbed the top of the wall and pulled himself up to
the top. It was fairly short, like the buildings and was easy to reach the top of. He took a look around the other side before
gesturing for the others to follow him.
Duo gave Ailith a lift up, making sure she didn't get tripped up by her flowing black dress. He then pulled himself up
alongside the other two and they all dropped to the other side, turning to take a look around. Duo was straightening up when
he heard Ailith gasp and he turned as well, only to find himself face to eye stalk with one of the deadly looking machines.