"Hero Worship"
By
Russell Williams
Featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams
The planet Kreetess, a worthless ball of mud and rock in the Crellis Cluster of Mutter's Spiral. A planet so worthless in fact that even the Daleks wouldn't bother invading it. However it was, at his moment, of great interest to General Straal of the Fifteenth Sontaran Battle Fleet. For days, his ships had been lying in wait, hiding behind the second moon of the planet, investigating the possibility that the Rutans were establishing a base of operations on the surface. A wholly unworthy pursuit for a warrior, but orders were orders, and the thought of slaughtering hundreds of Rutans kept Straal and his men from descending into unrest. On the twelfth day of their vigil, Straal finally received word from his scouts that a small group of Rutans had somehow landed on Kreetess. The battle cry was sounded and Straal and his men quickly assembled themselves for transport to the planet's surface. The battle would be joined and the Rutans defeated. For the glory of the Sontaran Empire.
Inside of three hours, Straal and a band of fifteen hundred of his best warriors lay in wait for a sign of the approaching Rutans. The Sontarans’ natural skin colouring allowed them to blend in well with the rocky surroundings, and the new camouflage units hid the standard grey and blue of their uniforms well. All they had to do was wait. Which they did. Waited and waited.
Suddenly the air filled with an unearthly screeching sound, the likes of which Straal had never heard before in his unprecedented twelve years of existence. The noise was soon joined by a massive glow which lit up the darkening sky and the vast plain beneath him. Straal spared a glance at his men, noting that none of them had been fazed, and silently praising them for adhering to their training. He returned his attention to the source of the light, and was amazed, despite himself, when a blue box with a flashing light appeared, and the noise ceased.
A second later, a figure emerged from the blue box. From this distance, Straal wasn't able to discern much about the newcomer, apart from the fact that he appeared to be male. He was about to order his men to hold their fire, when one of his newest soldiers, Kral, opened fire on the man by the box. Despite his outrage at the disobedience of his orders, Straal was slightly pleased when the plasma bolt found its mark and hit the strange man straight in the chest, and he fell to the ground. Dead.
*****
"Bullseye!"
"Oh, well done, Pond!" the Doctor said before altering his voice and effecting a Northern accent, "Didn't you do well!", and then grinned madly, only to be met by blank stares from his two companions, Amy Pond and Rory Williams.
"Jim Bowen? Bullseye? No." The Doctor pleaded, sadly, but was still met with blank stares. "Oh, never mind. Kids."
Smiling, Rory moved close to the dartboard to take his throw. After landing all three darts on the board, Rory cheered and chanted, "one hundred and eighty!" casting a knowing look at the Doctor, which caused Amy to burst out laughing.
"You did know what I was on about," the Doctor said moodily, but with a slight smile.
"Of course." Rory smiled.
Amy moved over to the Doctor and linked her arm around his. "Ah, Mr. Grumpy face. Consider it payback for those stupid questions in the quiz."
"Stupid questions! I knew all of the answers," the Doctor said indignantly, as Amy and Rory shook their heads.
"Imagine that," Amy said sarcastically. "Anyway, it’s been great to have this little night at the pub, but I think it’s bed time now. Right, Rory." She added pointedly, although Rory seemed oblivious, however, a final glare from Amy snapped him around and he started to follow her up the stairs.
"Take care, Ponds. No breakages." he Doctor shook his head as his companions disappeared from view into the bowels of the TARDIS. "Just you and me now, sexy," he said as he patted the console. "Let's see if we can get the HADS operational again shall we." Operating a control on the panel, a segment opened up and, fishing the sonic screwdriver from out of his pocket he began working.
After working for several minutes, the Doctor was distracted by a knocking noise. Looking over in the direction of the staircase, he tutted. Note to self: Sound proofing, he thought as he set back to his work. An instant later, the knocking occured again, but louder this time. However, the Doctor chose to ignore it and kept on working. The knocking continued to get louder and louder, but still the Doctor continued to ignore it.
"Doctor! What the hell is that knocking noise!"
The Doctor looked up from his work and saw Amy and Rory standing in the doorway, both in dressing gowns. He almost banged his head on the rim of the console as he quickly shot up. "It wasn't you two...?" he squeaked.
"As if," Amy quipped, eliciting a slightly hurt expression on Rory's face.
"Then where's it coming from, if it’s nothing to do with us?" Rory finally asked.
"I don't know," the Doctor replied, before setting off around the console room, examining various nooks and crannies. However, when the knock sounded for one final time, none of them were in any doubt it was coming from the direction of the doors. Sprinting over, the Doctor quickly opened the doors and in shot a brilliant glowing white cube, which knocked the Time Lord off his feet.
"What is it?" Amy asked, as she jogged over to the Doctor's side.
The Doctor examined the cube with almost pure delight. "I've got mail!" Manipulating a few controls on the side of the box, a huge holographic form appeared out of it. The image was that of a man, possibly in his forties, sporting brown hair with blond highlights and a faint goatee beard.
"Not Princess Leia, then." Amy commented quietly, followed by an "If only." from Rory. Both comments received a shush from the Doctor.
"This is a message to the High Council of the Time Lords or to any of my fellow Time Lords in range. I, Theta Sigma, have been taken prisoner by forces loyal to the Sontaran Empire and have been separated from both my TARDIS and my companion, Hylen.
I don't expect to be rescued. I accept the risks in the lifestyle I have chosen, but I ask that every effort be made to rescue my companion. She is innocent in all of this and shouldn't be punished for my actions."
With the words spoken, the image faded away back into the box, and the box itself winked out, its task completed. Without another word, the Doctor bounded over to the console in an utter panic, randomly hitting switches and generally moving faster than either of his companions had seen him do before.
Amy approached The Doctor concerned. "Doctor?" she asked.
The Time Lord ignored her, continuing to operate the controls. Eventually Amy plucked up the courage to step in front of him, only then did he even glance at her. "Doctor, what's wrong? Who's Theta Sigma?"
"Me," the Doctor replied, looking deeply concerned.
"What do you mean, you?" Rory asked, puzzled.
"Me. Me. Not the me in front of you now, obviously. A future me. Or a past me. I don't know anymore. My timeline has become so confused. All I know is, that one of my companions is in the most terrible danger and we've got to help her." The Doctor shook his head, and motioned for Amy to move out of the way.
"OK," Amy said, concerned more than ever, and she stepped out of the Doctor's way, and over to Rory, who took her hand and gave it a squeeze.
*****
Following the initial flurry of activity, tracking down the other TARDIS proved to be quite easy, at least it appeared so to Amy and Rory as the Doctor shouted out in triumph and spoke about how brilliant he was. Within minutes, the TARDIS had materialized and the Doctor had activated the scanner so that he could gather where they were. If there was any doubt as to the authenticity of the distress call, then they were soon dispelled as the image of a blue police box appeared on the scanner screen. Unlike the TARDIS, this other TARDIS had no external lighting and she was listing dangerously on one side.
"Bloody hell," Amy said quietly, slightly in shock at the sight on the scanner screen.
The Doctor didn't reply, instead checking over the instruments as he performed a scan of the other TARDIS. "The plasmic shell is still in working order. Oxygen/nitrogen levels are stable, but there's a neglible power reading."
Rory stepped forward. "Any lifesigns?" he asked, displaying professional concern.
"Yes. One Algerone female, but her lifesigns are fluctuating," the Doctor answered sadly.
"We've got to help her," Amy insisted.
"We will, Pond. We will. I just need to plot this right. One false move and we'll be in trouble." The Doctor ran a few calculations in his head, and then gripped the materialization circuits with his right hand. "Hold on you two."
Amy and Rory looked at each other in confusion, before following the Doctor's instructions and holding onto the siderails. Safely secured, the Doctor activated the circuits and within seconds, the stricken TARDIS on the scanner screen disappeared and reappeared in the console room.
"Rory, the medical kit is stowed in the alcove over there. I think we might be needing it," the Doctor ordered, and the young man ran off to comply with his instructions.
His instructions delivered, the Doctor approached the other TARDIS, quickly followed by Amy, who had picked up a torch from the underside of the TARDIS console. Gingerly approaching the doors to the other TARDIS, the Doctor paused and examined the locking mechanism, before fishing out a key from his breast pocket, and then opening the door and stepping into the unknown.
*****
Of course, the unknown became rather familiar to the Doctor as he and Amy stepped into a version of the console room that the Doctor hadn't used in years, but with a few modernizing tweaks. Despite the dim lighting, they were able to determine that walls were pure white with large circular roundels. The console itself appeared to be more futuristic than the Doctor's console: the hodge-podged ephemera and taps dispensing ketchup, were replaced with shiny levers and all manner of buttons.
As the Doctor moved around the console, he noticed a woman slumped into a corner, her head appearing to be gashed and blood trickling down it. She appeared to be in her late thirties and like all Algerones, appeared to be Human. Bending down to check her pulse, the Doctor shouted over for Rory. He quickly appeared, medical kit in hand. After completing a check up on her, Rory looked over at the Doctor, concerned.
"I think she'll be OK, but her chemistry appears to be quite different to Humans. She could be dying," Rory said.
Concerned, the Doctor asked, "Can you wake her?"
"She has a completely different biology. If I inject her with anything, it could kill her," Rory insisted.
"She'll be fine, Rory. Please, we have to get as much information as we can," the Doctor pleaded.
Uncertain for a minute, Rory produced a syringe from the medical bag and proceeded to inject the woman. After a few moments, she began to stir and opened her eyes to the concerned face of Rory, and they widened in shock.
"It's OK, we're here to help. I'm a nurse. My name's Rory," Rory said reassuringly.
"Rory?" the woman said wearily before shaking her head and starting to rise. Although Rory attempted to keep her down, he soon sensed that her will was strong enough and helped her to her feet. Firmly standing, the woman looked into the concerned faces of both the Doctor and Amy and smiled.
"I'm the Doctor and these are my friends..." the Doctor started.
"...Amy Pond and Rory Williams," the woman finished, drawing a suspicious glance from the Time Lord. Noting the look she continued, "Mort... The Doctor has spoken about the two of you. My name is Hylen."
"What happened here, Hylen?" the Doctor asked.
"Maybe we could continue this in the TARDIS. She's banged up pretty badly and I'd like to check her over in the sickbay," Rory interrupted.
"Why, that's the best offer I've had in weeks," Hylen winked, despite herself, and earned a look from Amy. Rory in turn blushed slightly.
The Doctor looked over Hylen for a moment, before nodding. "OK, you two get Hylen back to the TARDIS. You know the way to sickbay, I'm going to take a look around."
Amy was about to protest, but a point in the direction of the TARDIS and a reassuring smile from the Doctor saw her move to aid Rory in supporting Hylen as they moved off.
*****
"I thought I told you to stay in the TARDIS, Pond." The Doctor stated into the darkness. He swizzled the sonic around to light up Amy's face.
"I know, I know. Rory's looking after Hylen and you were over here on your own. Besides, technically, this is your TARDIS," Amy protested.
The Doctor turned the sonic back into the darkness stating, "Is it now?", before he moved on down the corridor, quickly followed by his companion.
"What, you don't think this is your TARDIS?"
"No. Yes. I don't know," the Doctor stammered.
"Well, at least you're clear on that then," Amy quipped.
"It's hard to explain, Amy, but a Time Lord has a special connection to his TARDIS, a link that they both share. Some say that it's the TARDIS which chooses its owner, but that's a bit ridiculous. With this TARDIS, I don't feel that connection."
"Makes sense I suppose, but if this TARDIS belongs to a future version of you then maybe the nature of your relationship has changed."
"Maybe," the Doctor said unconvinced. "I just need to know more about what we're dealing with before we go charging off on a dangerous rescue mission."
"Snooping around in your own future though. Y'know what River would say..."
"Spoilers!" Both the Doctor and Amy said together, eliciting a small laugh from both of them.
"Come on, your other self needs you," Amy said.
With a sigh, the Doctor began to walk back in the direction of the console room. As he swung the sonic screwdriver around to light the way, a wooden chest was momentarily lit up. At first the Doctor wanted to pass it off, but a part of him was drawn to it. Examining the chest, he determined that it was locked and, after getting Amy to shine her torch on it, flicked the screwdriver back into its normal mode and unlocked it. Examining the contents, the Doctor was intrigued to find an assortment of the brightest diamonds that he had ever seen in his long life. Amy was just as shocked, a long whistle indicating that she was suitably impressed.
"Wow. I wish I'd met future Doctor. Diamonds are a girl's best friend after all." Amy grinned.
Amy's words seemed to ignite the spark of a memory in the Doctor and he shuddered. Glimpses of a singing woman in a beautiful pink dress, dancers all around her. The cheering and hooting of an audience.
We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.
Then suddenly, the Doctor remembered falling. Falling further than he had ever fallen before. The moonlight skyline threatening to embrace him.
"Donna!!!" he screamed.
And then it was gone. Shaking his head once again, the Doctor slammed the chest shut and took Amy by the arm as he led her back to the TARDIS.
*****
In the depths of the TARDIS, somewhere past the wardrobe room and next to the cricket pavillion lay the TARDIS' sickbay. A facility crammed with every type of medical technology available, crammed into a semi-circular room that looked part-hospital ward, part-computer centre. Lying on one of the examination beds, Hylen was being fussed over by Rory, who was applying a bandage to her forehead.
"There. Good as new," Rory said cheerfully.
"Thank you, Rory. Not exactly what I was expecting when you said you'd give me a thorough examination, but I feel a lot better." Hylen smiled cheekily, causing Rory to blush a little.
"All part of the service, although the TARDIS' computer banks did most of the work."
Hylen stroked Rory's arm. "Oh, you don't give yourself enough credit. You have very healing hands."
Before Rory could respond, a harrumphing from the doorway caused both Hylen and Rory to look towards the doorway to see Amy standing there, her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face, followed by the Doctor.
"What does the Doctor see in you?" Amy asked bitchily.
"Now now ladies, let's keep this friendly!" the Doctor warned, before moving over to Hylen. "How are you feeling?"
"Much better now, thanks to Rory," Hylen answered, before looking deeply at the Doctor's face, studying every line and expression. "You really are completely different to my Doctor aren't you? I've seen pictures but I didn't think you'd be so... so young. You look like a trainee Doctor."
The Doctor smiled. "Oh, I'm older than I look."
"But not as old as you let on. Nine hundred and nine indeed." Hylen laughed, drawing shocked gazes from Amy and Rory.
"Touche." The Doctor grudgingly spoke. "As you're trading barbs with me, I take it you're well enough to tell us what happened."
"Of course. To cut a long story short, we were ambushed by the Sontarans, they surrounded the TARDIS and shot the Doctor. It was terrible, but I couldn't get out to help him." Hylen shook her head, fighting back tears. "All of a sudden this hologram appeared and told me that some sort of program had activated. Then everything went wrong and the whole room blew up, then it all went dark."
The Doctor mused for a moment. "Emergency program one. That shouldn't have caused any damage to the TARDIS. Just taken you back home."
Amy stepped forward. "Why would these Sultanas attack you anyway?"
Hylen sighed and glared at Amy. "We were helping a benevolent people called the Rutans. They had been victimized by the SONTARANS for centuries, and you know the Doctor can't beat fighting injustice."
Amy and Rory nodded, quickly joined by the Doctor who rubbed his hands together. "Right. Well we can't just let someone suffer hideous torture, especially when it’s me. We're going back to that planet."
"But, Doctor, surely the four of us can't fight off these Sontarans on our own?" Rory stated.
"Oh, I don't know, Rory. The Oncoming Storm and the Last Centurion. Who could stand against us?" The Doctor grinned, but upon seeing that his grin wasn't shared by his companions, he added, "Right, fine. I'm sure we'll muddle through."
*****
Within minutes, the TARDIS, well both TARDISes (that was a bit of tricky manoeuvring) had materialized on the planet Kreetess after the Doctor had deciphered the coordinates from the memory banks of the other TARDIS. Prepared for quite the fight, the Doctor had suggested that Rory don his Roman centurion outfit that he had gained during their visit to Ancient Rome a few months earlier. It wasn't all mead and sweetmeats though, and Emperor Nero proved to be quite insane, and Amy was sold into slavery!
Still, the sight of the centurion outfit not only gave Amy and Hylen quite the thrill (which sparked another tense argument), but he had proved to be quite formidable when wearing it.
"Right then, team. Oh, I hate that, very Alan Sugar." The Doctor cursed himself. "Right you lot, here's the plan. Big Sontaran camp, we sneak in, rescue the other me and run away as fast as we can."
"The usual plan then." Amy quipped.
"What about these Sontarans?" Rory asked.
As the Doctor was about to answer, Hylen cut in. "Warrior race made up of clones. Highly adept at hand-to-hand fighting and rather handy with a disruptor. Despite their small height and potato-like appearance, they are not to be underestimated."
"Look, I know this will be dangerous and I won't ask any of you to come with me," the Doctor stated although, examining the faces of the others, it was pretty obvious they were in for the long haul. "OK then. I want you three to provide a distraction. Make as much noise as possible, while I go after the other me." The three nodded their ascent.
Unsheathing his sword, Rory looked assuredly at the Doctor and Amy. "Right then. Allons-y." After saying those words, Rory looked apologetically at the Doctor, who just smiled knowingly, and then moved off to join the others, where Amy punched him on the shoulder and said, "Numpty!"
With a nod, the Doctor opened the doors and Amy and Rory exited, but before Hylen could do so, he called her back. Intrigued, she did so.
"Doctor?"
"Is there anything you wish to tell me before we go into this?" The Doctor asked, dead serious.
A bewildered expression crossed her face, before she answered. "No, Doctor. I just want to ensure that my Doctor is safe, and I can't thank you all enough."
The Doctor smiled sadly and nodded. "Well, good luck, Hylen. Look after Amy and Rory, they're your personal responsibility."
Hylen nodded and exited the TARDIS, looking into the questioning faces of Amy and Rory.
"Is everything OK?" Rory asked.
"Fine. Let's go." Hylen said grimly, and the threesome headed off into the wilderness of Kreetess as the TARDIS dematerialized.
*****
The first thoughts that entered the prisoner's mind was that he felt an intense pain running up and down the length of his entire body. Daring to open his eyes he was confronted by the rather gruff and potato like visage of General Straal. Over the last five days, they had become rather familiar with each other. Beatings morning, noon and night. The occasional bit of water torture, a spot of interrogation and then meal time.
"Good morning, General. Sleep well?" the prisoner asked wearily, although trying to maintain a cheerful demeanour.
"I am sick of these games, Time Lord. I want the information and I want it now!" Straal growled, kicking out furiously at his captive. To his credit, the prisoner didn't even flinch.
"Information? Oh, you mean what the Rutans are up to? Can't help you I'm afraid. Sorry." The prisoner grinned.
Straal got right up into the captive’s face, so much so that he could smell the Sontaran's breath and see each individual tooth as he snarled. "You false cheeriness will not save you, Time Lord. For centuries, our people have heard of the legend of 'The Oncoming Storm'. A single man with many faces who makes even the Daleks tremble in fear. I know you are helping the Rutans in their war against us!"
Suddenly a beeping noise sounded from the prisoner. Straal was further incensed and baffled considering that the captive had been stripped to his underwear.
"What is that noise!" Straal demanded.
"Oh, that. Subcutaneous transponder. Handy little device that I picked up on Argelon, it's a message to me that the cavalry has arrived." The prisoner grinned menacingly, as a massive groaning sounded outside of the Sontaran's camp. "You mentioned 'The Oncoming Storm', general. Prepare to experience it."
*****
Arriving at the edge of the Sontaran camp as darkness began to fall, Amy, Rory and Hylen scouted the outer perimeter, hiding behind rocks and bushes in the hopes of avoiding Sontaran patrols. No point in giving away an advantage before they were ready. However, that time soon arrived as the companions heard the sound of the TARDIS materializing.
The three of them crept into what they deciphered was one of the checkpoints in to and out of the camp. At Rory's signal, the three of them emerged from their bush and began working slowly towards the Sontaran sentry on duty. Glancing over, Amy noticed that Hylen had her hand ready to go into her jacket and noticed the hilt of a gun protruding out.
"What the hell are you doing?" Amy demanded quietly.
"The Doctor said create a distraction," Hylen hissed back.
"Not with violence though. That's not the Doctor's way, and it certainly isn't mine."
Hylen shook her head. "Oh Amy, so naive. You have no idea who you're travelling with do you. Sure this incarnation seems a bit meek, but you should have met his predecessor. He burned brightly and had the whole universe in the palms of his hands."
"I did meet that Doctor, and he was one of the kindest and bravest men I have ever known, and he still is," Amy hissed.
"Sure, when you get a chance, ask him about Donna Noble. Then you'll know what the Doctor is capable of."
With those ominous words, Hylen withdrew her disruptor and opened fire on the sentry, killing him instantly. Both Amy and Rory stared at her in shock, but the sound of alarms wailing and approaching footsteps soon brought them out of it, and Rory unsheathed his sword and pulled in Amy behind him, as dozens of Sontaran soldiers appeared out of nowhere.
*****
As the sound of blaster fire and swords clattering surrounded him, the Doctor gingerly made his way around the perimeter of the camp, his sonic screwdriver held out in scanning mode. Internally he cursed himself for allowing his friends to risk their lives, but somehow, he knew that they'd pull through. With the aid of his screwdriver he had implanted enough false signals to keep the Sontarans’ security equipment guessing.
Still, the Doctor was determined to track down the man who had claimed to be a future incarnation of himself. Several times he had met his other incarnations, but this just felt different. And then there was Hylen. He'd had a few bold and daring companions in the past, but there was just something out of place about her, and something familiar at the same time. Images of the flashback aboard the TARDIS flooded back to him, but he could shed no further light on the subject.
After a couple of close calls with Sontaran sentries, the Doctor had finally managed to register Time Lord life-signs located near the centre of the camp. Keeping to the shadows and using the sonic to disrupt security cameras en route, he eventually sighted the door to what looked for all intents and purposes to be a holding cell, with a lone sentry standing guard on the door.
Cursing his bad luck, the Doctor reached into his pockets for anything that might provide a distraction. Psychic paper, library card, sugar mouse, assortment of coins and bizarrely his old recorder. What the devil is that doing in here? The Doctor asked himself and, strangely an answer was forthcoming, Well it came in handy on Ghenlov Beta. None the wiser at the answer, he began to think how the recorder could have come in useful.
Venusian lullaby. That'd put anyone to sleep! The Doctor thought and began playing a most chilled out tune on the recorder, then watching as the Sontaran first began to sway, and then eventually toppled forward, his blaster clattering to the ground.
Cheering his good luck, the Doctor made his way to the cell door and, with one quick beep from the sonic, it fell open and allowed the Time Lord entry into the cell. He was met by the smiling visage of the man from the distress call.
"Well, about time you showed up." The prisoner said.
The Doctor smiled charmingly. "Theta Sigma, I presume? Or is it Doctor?"
"Both."
"Or neither," the Doctor added.
The prisoner grinned conspiratorially. "My dear, Doctor, you were always so paranoid."
"Oh, I don't think so. I smelt a rat from the beginning. The distress call I could buy, but Hylen and the damaged TARDIS...Bit much."
The prisoner stared, shocked. "Damaged TARDIS?"
The Doctor laughed. "Oh dear, looks like your friend tried to get away in the TARDIS doesn't it? Still the game’s up. Just who are you?"
"What, you haven't figured it out yet? My my, you have grown dim in your old age, Doctor. Still, I'm sure we could carry on this charming conversation here, but I no longer wish to be at the Sontarans’ pleasure, as it were."
The Doctor indicated the exit to the cell and, after a stern glance between them, the prisoner exited followed quickly by the Doctor.
"Where's your TARDIS?" the prisoner asked.
"Somewhere. First of all, we've got to help my friends and Hylen."
The man chuckled. "You brought Hylen with you? Brave decision."
The Doctor began to sprint in the direction of the gunfire followed, albeit grudgingly, by the man. "Not really. Her blaster would come in handy as a distraction and while she undoubtedly has her eye on Amy and Rory, they have their eyes on her."
"This wouldn't be happening if the Rutans had kept up to their side of the bargain," the prisoner cursed, fighting to catch his breath as he spoke.
The Doctor's head snapped around. "What bargain?"
The prisoner sighed. "To bring you in on this. You've gained rather the reputation. 'The Oncoming Storm' – they required your services in order to take the Sontarans down for them."
The Doctor was growing angrier by the second. "And you agreed to be the middle man and provide my services?"
"Please, it’s not like I had much choice, and pretending to be you does carry certain kudos. Not many people respect the old monk look and after my last regeneration, I thought, why not?"
"I thought so. Mortimus." The Doctor snarled.
They continued running for a while longer, dodging through the various barrack buildings until suddenly they spotted Amy, Rory and Hylen pinned down behind some kind of military vehicle, Hylen's blaster firing over and over.
"We've got to get away while the Sontarans are distracted," Mortimus said.
"Nice display of loyalty to your friend." The Doctor grimaced.
"Please! It’s just a business arrangement, she's more trouble than she's worth."
"We're not leaving," the Doctor insisted. Looking around for any options, the Doctor suddenly got out of hiding and began climbing to the top of one of the barrack buildings. Checking the sides of the building, he noticed a loudspeaker attached to the side of the building. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he rummaged around and finally found a child's walkie-talkie. The quick turn of the sonic and a bit of poking around with wires, the Doctor began to speak into the communications device.
"Testing, testing one two three. Are you receiving me? over."
The fact that half of the advancing Sontaran soldiers and his companions immediately stared aghast in his direction tipped the Doctor off that his jiggery pokery had worked.
"Hello, ladies, gentlemen and Mister Potato Heads. I am the Doctor, or as many have come to know me, the so-called 'Oncoming Storm'. Here are my demands: Firstly, that my companions and I are allowed to escape unimpeded. Two: That you Sontarans leave this world and never return, and lastly and most importantly: I want six Jammie Dodgers and a fez."
General Straal stepped forward out of the throng, his whole head had turned red with rage. "Who are you to make demands of us, Time Lord."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't you catch my name? You know what I am capable of, so it'd be in your own interest to let me and my friends leave."
"We refuse your demands." Straal insisted and, turning to his men, he ordered, "Fire!"
The Doctor ducked out of the way just as a hail of blaster fire met the position he was previously standing in. All out of ideas, the Doctor was saved when suddenly the massive whoosh of engines could be heard overhead. Looking up, he observed a massive flying saucer hovering over the camp, its blaster ports opening.
The Sontarans too, noticed the ports opening, and Straal ordered his men to immediately begin opening fire, taking their attention off of the Doctor and his crew. The Doctor screamed over at his companions, ordering them all to make a beeline back to the TARDIS.
It was only upon arriving back at the TARDIS, did the Doctor finally notice that Mortimus and Hylen had disappeared, and the TARDIS key sticking out of the lock of the open door.
*****
Entering the TARDIS, the Doctor run over to the TARDIS and discovered that a note had been left for him, written in Ancient High Gallifreyan. It simply read,
Thanks for everything. See you soon, Mortimus.
"What no kisses?" the Doctor said as he crumpled the paper up and threw it into the corner.
"So that's it then. We just let them get away with it?!" Amy asked emphatically.
"I'm afraid so. Still, all's well that end's well. Neither the Sontarans nor the Rutans have the upper hand and, more importantly, Mortimus is out of our hair," the Doctor replied.
"I still can't believe that they both had us so fooled. The whole damsel in distress thing," Rory added.
The Doctor coughed and then turned his attention to the controls. "Indeed. Well, why don't we visit somewhere a little more upmarket." The Doctor continued working at the controls, sending them on their way to another adventure.
