Apocalypse Rising (Book Four)

The Right Kind of Failure

OK, so I lied. I couldn't resist. Interlude time!

Is it not obvious where we're going? ;) Time to see how Rose is doing in the parallel world! And remember: the goal is 120 comments by "The Apocalypse's Daughter." So far, I've seen 49 as of today, including "Partners in Crime."

So, enjoy!

***

She'd been dumped in an alleyway and had tried for at least a half hour to find the correct way out of the back end streets.

Rose Tyler should have just followed the sound of sirens immediately.

She pushed through a crowd of people to get to the front, saying apologies as she went, then stopped by the barriers and tried to arch her neck, trying to see better. "Adipose Industries," she murmured, thinking to herself, and trying to figure out the year. There'd been an issue with Adipose Industries that Torchwood had tried to handle. So that marked the year around . . .

"2008, 2009," Rose realized, startled.

She'd been gone for at least two years.

She was still trying to comprehend such an idea when an older ginger woman bounded up to her. "Listen, there is this woman that's going to come along," she spoke quickly, and Rose stared at her, trying to catch it all. "A tall blonde woman called Sylvia. Tell her that bin there, all right?" she pointed, and Rose took a quick moment to make a note. Maybe if the dimension cannon didn't short out so quickly this time . . . "It'll all make sense. That bin . . . there . . . " She paused, and Rose looked back at her to see the ginger staring at her intently. "Do I know you?" she finally asked.

Rose shook her head, taken aback. "I don't think so, no," she answered, then she looked over at Adipose Industries. "I've got to ask, what's happened over there?" She'd rather make sure than be completely wrong.

The ginger gawked at her in surprise. "You don't know?"

"I just - " she began.

"Donna!" a very familiar voice, one Rose hadn't expected to hear since she had figured the technicians had gotten the cannon wrong again, shouted, and both women whipped around at once Donna straightened, and Rose's jaw dropped, Rose already feeling tears start to form in her eyes. "Let's move it!" the Apocalypse's voice finished.

"Right, sorry," Donna smiled at Rose, seeming happy about something. "That bin there!" she reminded her before running off.

"Wait!" Rose blurted, pushing through people to get past them. "Caly!"

But suddenly, the ground felt different under her feet, and Rose nearly collided with her parallel father. "Rose?" Pete asked in confusion.

"That was it!" Rose shouted, pointing at the cannon. "That was the right universe! That was it!"

Jackie, who had brought her baby brother Tony to work that day, brightened. "You saw her?" she asked eagerly.

"No, but I heard her," Rose shook her head. "That was Adipose Industries. I heard her voice!"

"Her voice?" Rose closed her eyes and braced herself before turning to who had spoken. "It's been over four years, Rose. You might have forgotten it."

"I will never forget her voice," Rose warned Mickey angrily. "I've never forgotten the Ninth Apocalypse's voice, and I sure as hell will never forget her Tenth." She turned back to the technicians, taking off her TARDIS blue leather jacket. "That was the correct universe," she said calmly and firmly. "Is there any way to keep the cannon locked on there?"

"Yes, ma'am," they nodded, starting to move immediately.

"Rose, it's still not a stable shot," Pete warned her as Rose watched everything with a critical eye. "We've been trying for four years, and it hasn't worked."

"We've only had three other tries," Rose reminded him. "One for each year, and we've gotten closer every time."

"I have to admit, it's a design I've never seen before," Pete admitted, looking at her. "Where did you get the schematics?"

"Doesn't matter," Rose shook her head, not about to say it had been her idea alone. "But if I can just get to Caly . . . "

"We'll get you back," Pete promised, putting a hand on her shoulder. "For good."

Rose nodded, taking a few deep breaths before walking over to the technicians. "Do not fire this unless a Level 10 tells you to," she ordered. "Every time we hop over, we rip a hole in the universe."

"Yes, ma'am," the lead technician agreed.

Rose nodded and left the room, keeping herself together before she could burst into tears. Even though the cannon had failed yet again, they'd had a much bigger success, despite what Mickey and several other Torchwood members thought.

They had finally found the Apocalypse's universe.

***

Rose and the Doomsday theme up top.

You guys seriously have no idea how excited I've been to write this book. More excited than getting to any Time Lady's regeneration. Seriously, I'm that excited. Maybe even more than when I wrote Jack and the Master returning.

Because ROSE IS BACK!!!! :D

Is she going to stay, or not?

If you're wondering, I would look back to Book 2, then ponder how she designed this cannon by herself.

Did I just give it away?

Anyway, we'll see much more parallel world action as we move through the book, so look for that!