Green Vortex [III]

The End of Time Part One Pt1:

The Tardis appeared on the snowy landscape of the Ood Sphere where Ood Sigma stood a short distance away, watching as the door opened and the Doctor walked out with a bright pink lei around his neck, a pair of sunglasses on along with a straw cowboy hat.

He held the door open as Astro slipped out with Galaxy behind him, not wearing the party favours the Doctor had on but she had a smile on her face, happy to see she had been able to make him happy. All that travelling and visiting Sarah Jane seemed to have worked, he had finally accepted that what he'd done on Mars was a mistake and one he'd never make again.

"Ah, now, sorry, there you are!" The Doctor grinned when he saw Sigma standing there, "So, where were we? I was summoned wasn't I? Ood in the snow calling to me? Well, we didn't just exactly come straight here, had a bit of fun you know..."

"Yeah, that was my fault." Galaxy said, sheepishly and the Doctor took hold of her hand. "We travelled about, bit of this and that, got into trouble, you know me. But it was brilliant. We saw the Phosphorous Carousel of the great Mingelina Stat, saved a planet from the Red Carnivorous Maw, named a galaxy Alison. Got Jack drunk in the court of Queen Elizabeth..."

"Which was a mistake." Galaxy sighed. She had found out Ianto had died while saving the Earth from an alien threat and knowing how hard Jack would have been taking, she immediately had the Tardis go to Torchwood and comforted Jack just as he always did. They offered Jack a trip to lift his spirits up and Jack thought a few drinks would do him some good...Galaxy had warned him not to go too overboard...

"Good Queen Bess." The Doctor laughed, "And let me tell you, her nickname is no longer..." Galaxy elbowed him, "Anyway...what do you want?"

"You should not have delayed." Sigma replied. "Last time we were here, you said my song would be ending soon and I'm in no hurry for that." The Doctor recalled. "You will come with me." Sigma said.

"Hold on, better lock the Tardis." He said and pulled a key out and pointed out the Tardis before pressing it. The light on top flashed twice and a small beep like a car horn sounded, making Astro roll his eyes, "You see, like a car. I...I locked it like a car."

"He thinks it's funny." Astro said. "It is funny." He countered but they all looked at him, unimpressed, "No? Little bit?" He asked and Galaxy patted his shoulder. "Come on." She said, linking her arm with his and they followed Sigma who turned and walked off.

"So, how old are you now Ood Sigma?" The Doctor asked after a while but got no response. His, Galaxy's and Astro's attention was soon turned to a massive sculpture of towers in rock and they saw figures of Ood walking around it.

"That's amazing." Galaxy breathed and the Doctor elbowed Sigma, trying to get a response from him. "Oh come on, this is splendid. You've achieved all this in how long?"

"One hundred years."

"Then we've got a problem. 'Cos all this is way too fast, not just the city, I mean your ability to call me, reaching all the way back to the 21st Century." The Doctor said as he and Galaxy tensed. "Your species have accelerated far beyond normal somehow." Galaxy added.

"And the mind of the Ood is troubled." Ood Sigma nodded. "Why? What happened?" The Doctor asked. "Every night. Every night we have bad dreams."

-10-

Sigma led the Time Lords and Astro into the structure where an older Ood with large brains was sitting in front of pots and tubes.

"Returning, returning, returning. It is slowly returning, through the dark and the fire and the blood, always returning, returning to this world. It is returning. And he is returning. And they are returning. But too late. Too late. Far too late. He has come."