Reconcile (Doctor Who X Tenth Doctor)

Chapter 16: Titles

The Doctor didn't want to look at the Prince after their discussion. He had a thousand more questions but he knew that if he pressed too much it may change his own future. Besides, this was a parallel world. Nothing that happened here was guaranteed in his own world. This child was tied around all of the events, and they were parents no more.

On the opposite side of the Battersea Power Station, the Doctor started to plan. "The whole of London's been sealed off, and the entire population's been taken inside that place. To be converted."

"We've got to get in there and shut it down," Rose nodded, ready for action.

"How do we do that then?" The Prince asked a gleeful look in his eyes as he looked at the Doctor expectantly. His mother had always told stories about how his father was quick on his feet on their adventures and he was about to see a version of that firsthand. It was the closest he may ever get to relating to the man millions of miles away.

"Oh, I'll think of something."

The Prince frowned. "You're just making this up as you go along."

The Doctor smiled, goofily. "Yep. But I do it brilliantly."

The Prince rolled his head and crossed his arms over his chest, less than thrilled. A few minutes later, Mrs. Moore joins them with her laptop. "That's a schematic of the old factory. Look. Cooling tunnels underneath the plant. Big enough to walk through"

"We go under there and up into the control center?"

"There's another way in. Through the front door. If they've taken Jackie for upgrading, that's how she'll get in." Pete suggested.

Jake scuffed. "We can't just go strolling up."

The Prince's eyes lit up, he fished around in his pocket. "Or we could, with these. Fake ear pods. Dead. No signal. But put them on, the Cybermen would mistake you for one of the crowd."

Pete took one from him. "Then that's my job."

The Doctor looked down at Pete gauging whether he was grasping the danger he was about to walk into. "You'd have to show no emotion. None at all. Any sign of emotion would give you away."

"How many of those you got?" Rose asked.

"Just two sets."

Rose snatched the other up. "Okay. If that's the best way of finding Jackie, then I'm coming with you."

Pete furrowed his brow as he looked down at the blonde. "Why does she matter to you?"

"We haven't got time. Doctor," She looked up at the Time Lord. "I'm going with him, and that's that."

"No stopping you, is there?"

Rose smiled. "No."

"Tell you what. We can take the ear pods at the same time. Give people their minds back so they don't walk into that place like sheep. Jakey-boy? Lumic's transmitting the control signal. It must be from over there." The Doctor points his sonic towards the power station. One of the Zeppelins from earlier is parked on top with a circle of red lights flickering on its bow. "There it is. On the zeppelin, you see? Great big transmitter. Good thing Lumic likes showing off. Reckon you could take it out?"

"Consider it done."

"Mrs Moore, would you care to accompany me into the cooling tunnels?"

Mrs. Moore smiled and laughed. "How could I refuse an offer of cooling tunnels?"

The Doctor glanced towards the only other alien. "And you?"

He shook his head. "I'll go with Jake. Might need a hand."