Wanderer of Time: Silence Begins (doctor who)

Chapter 12: Terror on Christmas Day

Wanda stayed ever vigilant by the Doctor's side as the others within the flat began to worry over the sudden appearance of the alien on the telly. The news talked about it nonstop as they had been discussnig the space probe, Guinevere One, that the British government had sent up to photograph Mars. The probe sent back video of a terrifying alien instead of images from the red planet. Wanda knew it was the Sycorax who had taken the probe. They planned to use it to enslave the human race through scare tactics. Wanda only hoped things would still turn out all right for the Doctor and the Earth. She had looked into a possibility earlier and saw things still played out as normal. Nothing changed much. She kept her fingers crossed that it would remain that way.

Mickey used the device Wanda had given him to access into the military computers. He and Rose watched the tracking system of the Sycorax ship as it grew closer to the Earth. Rose repeatedly came back into the bedroom, keeping Wanda updated on everything that was going on. Wanda nodded to the girl, continuing to wipe at the Doctor's forehead.

"Do you know what it is? What sort of aliens they are?" Rose asked her.

"Yes, but don't worry about it. They're not as big of fish as you think," Wanda responded. "Really only plunders wanting to enslave the human race."

"Oh, is that all?" Rose asked sarcastically. "Well, then, I guess we could always invite them to Christmas dinner."

"Ha ha," Wanda said lightly, rolling her eyes at Rose. "Just don't worry, Rose. Have Mickey keep track of their ship, though. We need to be watchful in case of any changes." Rose nodded, leaving to go watch the tracking with Mickey.

Wanda watched as the Doctor began to shake again, panting out some. She laid the rag down on his forehead, hoping it would keep him cool. She scooted next to him, lying down beside him as she stroked his face. She knew it was not much help, but it was the only thing she could think of. She felt useless any other way.

"Wanda, the aliens sent in a transmission of some kind," Mickey said. He and Rose walked in with his laptop at hand. Wanda sat up, seeing the video had just ended.

"They were talking about how they're called the Sycorax," Rose explained quickly, sounding frightened by what they had seen on the screen. "They said how they own everything and that 'they' will die if the human race doesn't surrender."

"Like I said, here to enslave you guys," Wanda said. She blinked, suddenly realizing what Rose had been saying. "Wait, you understood what they said?" Rose stared at her, curious by her confusion.

"Yeah. I wouldn't I?" Rose questioned in bewilderment. "The TARDIS translates everything, right? So, they got translated as well."

"Yes, but . . . in the show you weren't supposed to be able to understand them," Wanda told her. "It's because the Doctor's sick. He's a part of the circuit in the TARDIS. If he's out of commission, then so is the TARDIS."

"But you're not," Rose pointed out. "You're a part of the TARIDS just as much as he is. So if you're all right, then so is the TARDIS."

Wanda blinked, never really seeing it that way. Maybe because she was a Time Lord, she held the same influence over the TARDIS as the Doctor did. Perhaps. But it still seemed strange to her. "I guess so. Well, it'll just make things easier later then, if that's the case. Just keep watching. They might send another video later."

They nodded and left the room. Wanda sighed, frowning in thought. She would have to ask the Doctor on how the TARDIS circuit really worked. It still seemed strange to Wanda that it would still be working. Especially when the Doctor held much more of a connection with the old girl than the Time Lady ever would. As if she were even closely connected to the ship. There could never be such a close linking between her and the TARDIS. Really, it would just be . . . well, impossible.