The Last Great Time War: part II

Knots and tangles

"We've been hit," the Warrior said, after the tremors subsided. "And the timeline is unstable. Who has the holographic scanner?"

"Our dear pancake friend up there," Preda replied, jerking her thumb backwards to where they came from.

"Wonderful," said Draxel. "Any moment now one of the Dalek's tunnel robots is going to come for us and roast us like worms left out in the suns. Or, better yet, whoever or whatever's outside is going to destroy the station. I for one am not going to sit here and let that happen. I'm getting outta here!"

He started to claw away at the pile of rubble blocking one of the tunnels ahead of them.
Midnox grabbed his leg and yanked him back.
"What are you thinking?! There's still the Dalek's poison gas out there! Have you seen what happens to people who so much as touch that stuff? Not pretty!"

"I'll take my chances," Draxel growled back. "I still have nine lives left. I'm gonna lose them all for sure if I stay back here."

"You'll stay back here or you'll get us all killed," the Warrior said. "We will find a better way out of this. I don't know what's out there, but whatever it is it's going to be sorry it was ever born."

"Trust him," Midnox said. "I've seen what happens to those who don't!"

"As if," Draxel said. "I happen to know that this is your first mission with him!"

"We just need to wait a little longer," Midnox said, changing the subject. "Then we'll be able to escape."

Another blast shook the station, but this one was much louder and closer. Creaks and groans from throughout the station followed in its wake. A small tear appeared metal side of the tunnel. Through it, they could see a glimmer of light through a crack in another wall, past a thick cluster of cables and wires.

Whatever was on the other side of the crack started using a welding torch.

"Ready your weapons," the Warrior whispered, while Midnox and Preda restrained Draxel to stop him from crawling away.

"What if they're friendly," Preda whispered back as the crack widened.

"If they were friendly, they would have called to us before trying to extract us," the Warrior replied. "But just in case, set to stun."

The wall fell away. They all fired immediately into the corridor on the other side, felling three Time Lord soldiers. At least two dozen others waited behind.

"Drop your weapons," said the commander. "You are under arrest for high treason against Rassilon."

Soldiers pinned their arms behind their backs.

"What is the meaning of this," Preda demanded.

"I thought this might happen at some point," the Warrior said, "but why now? I'm in the middle of searching for the Eye of Discord!"

The lieutenant looked him over, then turned to the commander.
"Commander Karlax, we've arrived too early in his timeline! He's still wearing his previous incarnation's jacket, and his hair hasn't even started to gray yet! We should just wipe their memories and leave them."

"NO," Karlax yelled, shoving the lieutenant aside. "I've come too far for this scoundrel, and I'm not letting him go now! Guards, tie up the Renegade and kill his co-conspirators!"

"Not this time," Midnox shouted, twisting around and kicking the shin of the soldier holding him. The soldier let him go in surprise, and Midnox punched him unconscious. He picked up his gun and shot the soldiers holding his comrades. The Warrior threw a grenade as the soldiers fired back, grazing his jacket and hitting Draxel in the ribcage.

Preda threw another grenade, taking out half of the remaining soldiers. The rest fled.

Before he could run away, the Warrior grabbed Karlax by the throat and shoved him against the wall.

"You have some explaining to do," the Warrior growled, "and for your sake it had better be good."

"I don't have to explain a thing, you traitor," Karlax said, and spat in the Warrior's face.

The Warrior tightened his grip until Karlax started to choke.
"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear," the Warrior said. "If you don't speak up, things will get most unpleasant for you. I've been navigating the time vortex for a long time, and I've learned a few tricks. I've been able to get through the most dangerous stretches that have tied up and torn by the War. Regions that even your fancy new War TARDISes steer clear of. I could leave you stranded in a temporal maze for centuries until you're ready to talk, and no matter how long you tried you could never find your way out."

"N-no.." Karlax managed to say.

"You won't get anything out of him," Midnox said.

The Warrior ignored him. "Or better yet," he continued, "I could introduce you to the Nightmare Child. Ever met the Nightmare Child, my friend?"

Karlax paled.

"You need to see this," Preda said. The Warrior involuntarily turned his head and relaxed his grip for just a second, but it was long enough. Karlax twisted free, activated a vortex manipulator, and vanished.

The Warrior cursed.
"What is-"

He stopped short. Preda was kneeling next to Draxel, who lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Or at least it had been Draxel. As the last of the golden glow of regeneration faded away, he could see that it was now a slightly younger version of Midnox.