CODE: S2/S2
Episode Two
Andie J. P. Frankham
Alpha Mondas
“You will identify yourself.”
Something about that voice made the Doctor’s skin crawl. Although there was no mistaking the emotionless tones, there was a certain sibilant sound about the voice. The Doctor turned around slowly, and was totally shocked by what he saw. Standing before him was a Cyberman, only this one was made out of a converted Martian.
“So, the Cybermen have succeeded. The Galactic Federation has fallen,” the Doctor mumbled sadly.
“The Galactic Federation does not exist. All that exists is the Cyber race. You will be adapted to become like us.”
The Cybermartian raised its gun and fired. The beam hit the Doctor dead centre in the chest. The Time Lord fell to the dusty ground. The Cybermartian grabbed the Doctor by the collar of his jacket and began pulling him away.
“The Cyber race will continue.”
* * *
Nick walked across the threshold of the shop followed closely by Falex. He found himself in a rather large open planned area. Along all five walls was shelf upon shelf of unusual nick-knacks. There were several display cabinets littered around the shop floor, obviously in no particular order, while next to the front door was a small counter with some very odd looking machine resting on it. Nick guessed that to be the cash register.
But of the Doctor there was no sign.
“Doctor?” Nick walked around the shop and continued to call out for the Doctor. He came to a door set into the fifth wall and opened it. Beyond the door was a staircase leading upwards. That puzzled Nick, since from the outside it was quite obvious that the shop had no upstairs. Nonetheless Nick poked his head through the doorway and called out for the Doctor.
Nothing.
Falex laughed and Nick turned around. The child was pointing at him, giggling. “What?” Falex continued to laugh and point, and it was then that Nick realised that the child was not pointing at him so much as behind him.
Nick spun around. There was nothing there.
Still Falex continued to laugh. Nick stepped towards the youngster, but after only a few steps he stopped. There was someone else in the shop with them. He glanced around but there was no one else to be seen. And yet, despite the evidence of his eyes, there was little doubt in Nick’s mind that someone else was in the shop.
“Hello, sir,” said a voice.
Nick jumped out of his skin and span around. Standing there was EnalcKarnip, smiling pleasantly. He waved his hands to take in the whole shop. “Welcome to your new home.”
* * *
The Cybermartian came to a small battered metal structure. It was the remains of some kind of public transport, left over from when Alpha Centauri was the centre of the Galactic Federation. A grid of wires had replaced the door. The Cybermartian nodded at the grid and the wires glowed then moved, leaving the doorway into the vehicle open.
Bruised and battered aliens came scuttling to the doorway, looks of surprise on their variously shaped faces. The looks soon turned to horror upon seeing the Cybermartian.
“Move back into the vehicle.”
They did not need to be told twice. Once the way was once again clear, the Cybermartian dragged the unconscious Doctor up to the vehicle. With one swift movement, the Doctor was thrown through the doorway. The aliens converged around the bulky figure while the grid moved to re-cover the doorway.
Once the vehicle was secured the Cybermartian turned and walked away, its job done.
* * *
“I admit, it’s a pretty impressive place you have, Enalc,” Nick said as he followed the man down the stairs having just been shown about the living area. “But you still haven’t told me what happened to the Doctor. He’s been gone for hours now.”
EnalcKarnip looked back briefly. “He is still here, sir.”
Nick looked around as he re-entered the shop. There was no one inside except Falex who was playing around with the cash register. “And yet I can’t seem to see him. How come?”
“Because he exists 98 years in the future.” EnalcKarnip lifted Falex off the stool and thus away from the cash register. “Master Rahlena Falex, money is not something that you should be playing with at your delicate stage. Not for a few more months at least.” He reached into the sole pocket on his purple jacket and took out a lolly. “Have this instead.” He handed the lolly to Falex who accepted it.
“Back up a minute there, Enalc.” Nick walked over to them. “What do you mean by ‘he exists 98 years in the future’?”
EnalcKarnip sighed. “Oh dear. The Doctor never mentioned that you had a limited knowledge of the nature of time.” He led Falex over to a table that had appeared along the fifth wall. Nick followed, knowing damned well that the table had not been there before.
“Well, I used to. But I have changed since then.” Nick felt like a simpleton trying to explain a complicated mathematical equation. “See, someone has changed me into a human, and with that package I am getting all these new memories. I know they are false, but they seem real. Course I still have all my real memories inside here.” He tapped his head. “The Doctor says that the memories cannot co-exist so the old ones are being forced out by the new. I can remember everything since returning from Forum world perfectly, but before that... Well, those are hazy days.” Nick chewed his bottom lip.
“Not to worry, sir.” EnalcKarnip sat Falex at the table and took a seat himself. “Please join us and I shall explain about the unique relationship that this shop has to Time.” Nick sat and EnalcKarnip offered him a plate of doughnuts. “Would you care for one, sir?”
* * *
The scaly Draconian arm reached out to the unconscious form and prodded it. The bulky form moved in a blur of action, shoving the Draconian back into the mess of aliens behind him. The Doctor stood up and straightened his clothes out before looking at the aliens surrounding him. He frowned and rubbed his beard.
“Oh dear.” He looked around the prison vehicle and noticed the grid covering the exit. He walked over to it and reached out a hand.
“No!” The voice of warning was cracked. Dry from lack of use.
The Doctor looked over at the Draconian, his hand poised before the grid. “No?” The Draconian shook his head as the Doctor moved his hand closer to the grid. The Draconian cowed away, trying to hide himself in the dark recesses of the prison with his fellows. “Hmmm. You are a Draconian, and going by the symbol on your collar I would say a nobleman no less.” The Doctor walked over to the Draconian and pulled him from out of the melee of aliens. He brought the Draconian to the exit. “Oh dear.” Seen in the light for the first time the Doctor saw just how badly wounded the Draconian was. Dried blood covered a wound on his yellow forehead. One eye was missing, as were most of his teeth. Worst of all though was the fact that the Doctor recognised this old and battered Draconian. “Ishkavaarr?”
Ishkavaarr nodded, but would not bring his one eye into contact with the Doctor’s.
The Doctor whispered into the Draconian’s ear. “I’m quite sure that you want to get out of here, yes? Get back to Draconia.”
Ishkavaarr shook his head.
“No?” The Doctor sighed. “Is your will so broken by the Cybermen that you no longer have any desire to return home? To exact revenge on those who have done this to you, to the Federation.”
Ishkavaarr pulled himself away from the Doctor and scuttled back into the shadows. The Doctor watched him with sadness. Never in his three lives had he seen a Draconian as broken as this one, and this Ishkavaarr was nothing like the young Draconian he had met in the past. The Doctor stood up to his full height and spoke out, loud and clear.
“What about you lot? Are you going to let the Cybermen win?” No response. “Come on, look at you. Members of some of the most powerful races in the Federation and you cower in the shadows like rats. What happened to your fighting spirits?” Still nothing. “Fine.” The Doctor reached out for the grid, ignoring the gasps of the prisoners. The grid fell away. The horrified gasps turned into gasps of shock and surprise. The aliens scuttled forward, inspecting the open space. As one they turned to the Doctor.
“You see? Hope. You must remember what hope is. Now, it’s time to do something about the Cybermen. Come on!” The Doctor stepped out of the prison vehicle.
* * *
Ishkavaarr watched the Doctor from the shadows, and recognised something of the spirit of Draconia in him. He had no idea who this man was, nor did he know how the man recognised him, but Ishkavaarr could not deny the spirit of a fighter.
“He is right. Our spirits must not be defeated.” Ishkavaarr led the aliens out of the vehicle, and came to a sudden stop.
“Kill them.”
* * *
The Doctor, held in an unbreakable grip by a Cyberman, watched helplessly as a small band of Cybermen opened fire on the prisoners. One by one they fell, their lives terminated without reason. Ishkavaarr was the last to fall, staring at the Doctor with betrayal etched in his eyes. The Doctor struggled to be free, but it was not going to happen. One of the Cybermen turned to look at the Doctor.
“You are known to the Cyber race. You will now serve us.”
“So, Cybermen do dream!” The Doctor spat on the Cyberman. “What have you done to Alpha Centauri?”
The Cyberman stepped closer, the spittle running down its face, forgotten. “This is Alpha Mondas, and it has become a part of the Cyber race, as will the remainder of the Galactic Federation. The Cyber race has records of you. You are the Time Lord known as the Doctor. You have a time machine. You will serve us, and the Cyber race will convert every planet that has ever existed.”
“Is that a fact? So, Cybermen dream and have illusions too. Well done.” Again the Doctor spat onto the Cyberman’s silver face. “Congratulations.” It seemed like spittle was the only act of defiance left to him. For now.
* * *
Theramin stepped into the mess hall to find Delegates Slearsoos and Moresh in the midst of debate. She remained where she was, letting the door close silently behind her, and listened in.
Moresh lifted his blitzer and smiled. “And now we know. The Cybermen still sleep.”
Slearsoos’ scaly head rippled in agreement. “Yes indeed. The Galactic Federation will be most pleased to learn this.” She took Moresh’s blitzer off him. “Now all they will need to do is look elsewhere for new allies.”
Moresh looked down at his empty hand. “Yes,” he mumbled, flexing his fingers. “Once we are out of the blackout area we can inform them.”
Theramin cleared her throat. “Good news, then. We have left the area of communications blackout.”
Moresh and Slearsoos looked at each other. “Excellent,” they said in unison.
Moresh turned to Theramin. “Please transmit the mission data to the Senate on Alpha Centauri; inform the council of the situation in the Mondas system.” Theramin bowed and turned to go. “Oh, and pilot. How long until we reach Federation space?”
Theramin looked back. “One standard day exactly.”
* * *
“Hold him still.” The voice was loud, everywhere at once. Not only did it come from outside, but from within too.
The Doctor opened his eyes only to find that a single Cyberman was holding him up. He struggled against the Cyberman and twisted his neck around. He wished he hadn’t.
What he saw was a Cyberman unlike any he had seen before. The elongated cranium indicated that it was some type of Cyber Controller. Its body merged with the technology surrounding it. No, not merged, it was part of the technology surrounding it. Standing to either side of the Controller were two Cybermen, although these were not your bog standard Cybermen either. One had a cavity in its chest that was pulsing with light; the other had one arm that ended in some kind of drill. As the Controller spoke the light in the cavity of the Cyberman to its right beat in perfect unison.
“We have been waiting for you, Doctor.” Again the voice echoed in the Doctor’s mind. As if knowing of his puzzlement, the Controller said the following; “You can hear me in your mind because of the link you share with my body.”
The Doctor looked more intently at the Controller and knew what it was talking about. His mind went back to his last trip to Nova Mondas. Back to the time when the Scholar was transformed into the vessel for the Controller. Transformed by the living metal validium. The Doctor shut his eyes and concentrated.
He was thrown back by a strong psychic blast. His body hit the far wall with a cracking thud, and he collapsed onto the floor. The Doctor looked up and wiped at the blood coming from his nose, ears and eyes.
“You cannot penetrate the hive mind of the Cybermen, Doctor. The validium is a part of me, of the Cyber race. Now you will serve us, and give the Cyber race your TARDIS.”
The Doctor struggled to his feet, laughing. “I see now. When your scout found me in Senate Square you really thought you were onto a winner, didn’t you? A time machine created by the Time Lords. The remaining technology of the dead Gallifreyan race.” He spat some blood on the floor. “Sorry to disappoint you, Controller, but the TARDIS was destroyed in 2501.”
Silence pervaded the room as the Cyber Controller processed this information.
“You are fabricating your information. You could not arrive on Alpha Mondas without our knowing. Therefore you must have your TARDIS.”
“Not very flexible, are you? After all this time in power you still haven’t learned how useless logic is. I do not know how I got here, exactly. I have my suspicions of course. But it was not in my TARDIS.”
“You are lying. We will get the truth from you.” The Controller turned its head to the Cyberman with the drill. “Process him.”
The Doctor looked from left to right, seeking some way to escape. But there were no noticeable exits. One of the Cybermen grabbed the Doctor by the arms and span him around. “Wait! You can’t do this!”
“You will serve us, Doctor.”
The Doctor struggled, but he could not move an inch. His arms were pinned to his sides. He kicked out only to find that the Cyberman promptly lifted him off the ground. “No!”
The Doctor yelled out in pain as the drill connected with the back of his skull.
* * *
He came to in a dank cell. While he waited for his eyes to become accustomed to the darkness the Doctor reached for the back of his head. There was a patch of hair all dried and matted by blood. He hissed at the soreness of it all.
“You were lucky.”
The Doctor looked over at the direction from which the voice had come. His eyes could just about make out a form sitting in the corner. It was very indistinct, no doubt due to the bad lighting. “Yes, I imagine I am. I guess my body didn’t take well to the Cybermen’s devices.”
“Indeed not.” The figure came closer, and as it did the Doctor could see that it was humanoid. An old man, his white hair swept back. “As I said, you were lucky.”
“Yes, and you are me.”
“I am not.”
“Yes you are. Even in this light I can see that your are my first incarnation.” The Doctor closed his eyes. “But you do not feel like me. You have none of my bio print.”
“I am not you. I expect I am taking the form of your first incarnation because in your weakened state you need someone you can trust.”
The Doctor opened one eye and bit his bottom lip. “Interesting.” He opened his other eye and shoved his face in front of the old man’s. “Then who are you?”
The old man’s eyes were transparent. He blinked. “You can call me EnalcKarnip.”
“Can I now?” The Doctor nodded. “Fine. Any ideas of how we can get out of here?”
EnalcKarnip stood up. “I have indeed. Many in fact. But only one that will help you return to 2501.”
The Doctor stood up also, but backed away slightly. “You know far too much about me. How?”
“Doctor, we all have our secrets. Let me keep mine. All you have to do is trust me, for I am here to help you.” EnalcKarnip’s body glowed as his form changed to a slightly younger man. Still with grey hair but this time shorter. He had also become a little taller. He looked down at his new form. “Ah, I see that you do indeed trust me. This is the form I usually take around those who are psychically inclined.”
“Mmm. So, how do we get out of here?” The Doctor tried to keep the edge of suspicion from out of his tone, but was finding it hard.
“Like this.”
EnalcKarnip walked over to the far wall and placed his hand against it. “But once we are out of here we need to move fast.” The Doctor nodded and EnalcKarnip smiled.
The wall exploded around his hand. The shockwave of the blast threw the Doctor off his feet.
Light cascaded through the whole, silhouetting EnalcKarnip. He looked down at the Doctor and laughed. “Come on, no time to lie down.” He turned and left the cell.
The Doctor remained where he was. “Well, that was unexpected.” He shrugged. “When in Rome...”
* * *
EnalcKarnip looked up from the breakfast table and smiled. Falex and Nick looked at each other.
“What?” Falex asked.
* * *
The journey across Alpha Centauri (Alpha Mondas, the Doctor reminded himself) had been rather uneventful. Although the Doctor was beginning to suspect this was due to EnalcKarnip’s presence more than anything else. There had been a moment when they had walked directly into a patrol of Cybermen but the emotionless giants just carried on as if they had not seen the Doctor and EnalcKarnip. The oddness of that had been bothering him even since it had happened, but the Doctor thought it impolite to ask EnalcKarnip about it. Secrets and all.
The Doctor looked around him at the waste ground that had once been Senate Square. The lake that led to the underwater habitat of the Centaurians was all dried out. Nothing more than a deep and dark cavern. He dreaded to think what remained at the bottom of that dank hole.
“So, what happened? How did the Cybermen succeed?” The Doctor shook his head. “The Federation was a growing power when I was last here.” He stopped and looked over at the remains of the Senate building. “That delegation to Nova Mondas. That was the turning point wasn’t it?”
EnalcKarnip shook his head. “I should not tell you this, Doctor. The Laws of Time...”
“Mean nothing in this universe since my people no longer exist,” the Doctor completed. “So tell me.”
EnalcKarnip was silent for a few moments consideration. “The turning point has never been decided. But there are rumours throughout the remains of the Federation.”
“The Federation still exists?” The Doctor let out a sigh. “I am glad to hear that. First humanity was wiped out. I’d hate to see the Federation destroyed, too.”
“Doctor, you must understand. The remainder of the Federation is but two planets. The Omnisci homeworld and Peladon. And even they are little more than the crumbled remains of two great cultures. A pitiful time indeed.”
The Doctor frowned and looked down at the dirt. “Oh my... Falex. This is the future that he has to look forward to. Taureans are a long-lived race. What happened to him?”
“I am sorry to say he died, Doctor. Protecting Taureas from the onslaught of the Cyber army. After the Martians’ failed attempt to reclaim Mars the Cybermen became pretty much unstoppable. The Martians on their own were simply no match for the Cyber race.”
The Doctor sniffed back his tears and took a deep breath. “Right. You say you know how to get me back to 2501? Then show me. This future is wrong, and I must put it right. I am not having another companion dying on me.”
EnalcKarnip knelt onto the dirt and looked up. “Another companion? You have lost many?”
“I have lost three. Sara, Katarina and... and...”
“And?”
The Doctor blinked. “I do not know. But there was another. I am sure of it.” He shook his head. “Well, either way, no more. Falex deserves a better future and I am determined to give him one. What are you doing?”
EnalcKarnip was now laying on the ground, legs and arms akimbo. He closed his eyes. “This area is a unique space time event, Doctor. Can you not feel it?”
“Now that you come to mention it, yes.” The Doctor closed his eyes and caught glimpses of all kinds of futures and pasts. In one of them he could see himself kneeling outside a sinister looking grey building, holding in his arms the dying body of his companion. Nick was standing next to him. The Doctor opened his eyes. “Yes, I remember now. Bradley.”
EnalcKarnip opened his eyes, his translucent eyes. Eyes into which the Doctor could feel himself falling... falling, deeper and deeper.
* * *
Ambassador Ishkavaarr and the Supreme Senator stood behind the blast doors as the special delegation ship came into land. Once it was safe the doors opened and they stepped out onto the landing platform.
A side door opened in the ship and a ramp slid down to the floor. The delegates stepped out. First Moresh and then Slearsoos. Ishkavaarr looked at the Supreme Senator, a look of concern written over his imperial face. Finally another figure emerged from the ship. Pilot Rahlena Theramin.
“What is the meaning of this?” Ishkavaarr asked.
The Supreme Senator walked over to the delegates. “Where is Delegate Runt?”
Moresh and Slearsoos looked at each other silently. The both stood there for a few moments then looked at the Supreme Senator. They smiled, but there was something very unnerving about those smiles. Something false.
“He accidentally killed himself,” Moresh began.
“Yes, his traction unit became all confused and started polluting his life fluids. It was very tragic, but by the time we reached his quarters it was too late.” Slearsoos bowed her head. “A great shame.”
“His remains are onboard still.”
“Show me,” the Supreme Senator commanded.
Ishkavaarr watched them walk to the ship. He was not convinced. How could a traction unit become confused? He approached the pilot. “Pilot, please have the flight recorder ready for immediate viewing. Transmit all information directly to my office.”
The Taurean pilot bowed her head. “Yes, Ambassador, at once.”
* * *
Nick looked up at the sign. ‘Honest Doc’s 2nd Hand Curio Shop’ it read. He looked across at EnalcKarnip. “You think the Doctor will like it?”
EnalcKarnip had appeared quite different since the Doctor had returned that morning. Nick had got used to seeing him as a guy of similar age, but now EnalcKarnip looked a lot older and taller, with short grey hair. He looked in through the shop window. “I think he will, Nick, yes.”
Nick followed EnalcKarnip’s gaze in through the window. Inside they could see the Doctor chasing Falex around the shop. Nick smiled. From the moment he had returned the Doctor had not left Falex’s side. There was something very paternal about the way the Doctor was around Falex, and for some bizarre reason it warmed Nick’s heart to see it. He had tried to find out what the Doctor had seen 98 years into the future but the Doctor had been intent on taking Falex on a tour of Alpha Centauri.
Nick opened the shop door. “Hey, Doctor, come and look at this.”
The Doctor came out, with Falex by his side. Nick pointed to the new sign. The Doctor approved. “Brilliant, Nick. But, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment with an ambassador.”
Nick stepped back in surprise. “Blimey, Doctor, you’ve only been back five hours. Don’t you think it is time you slowed down?”
The Doctor bellowed a laugh. “Not the bit of it, Nick. Falex has a lot to learn, and I have a lot to achieve. So, if you need either of us, we’ll be at the Senate with Ambassador Ishkavaarr.” With that the Doctor took Falex by the hand and walked off.
Nick watched him go. EnalcKarnip laughed.
“Let’s get inside. We have a shop to run now.”
Nick remained outside for a few moments longer and watched the Doctor and Falex disappear into the crowds. He smiled.
“Nice to have you back, Doctor.”
Next Episode:
The Relic
CAST
Brian Blessed as The Doctor
Nick Pereira as Nick
Greg Miller as The Cybermartian
Sean Pertwee/William Hartnell
& Ian Richardson as EnalcKarnip
Patrick Stewart as Ambassador Ishkavaarr
Mark Hardy as Cyberman
India Fisher as Pilot Rahlena Theramin
Alyson Hannigan as Delegate Slearsoos
Ewan McGregor as Delegate Moresh
Christoph Lopez as The Cyber Controller
James Earl Jones as The Supreme Senator
and
Matthew Hughes as Rahlena Falex
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