The stars were going out

Chapter 7

As the Doctor held Rose back, both staring where the Tardis, still containing Donna and Alec had stood seconds ago, Jack saw his opportunity and was about to open fire but was shot down. Rose went rushing over to him. The Doctor took her by her shoulders.

"Leave him Rose."

"But they killed him and Donna and Alec. I've got nothing to live for now."

The supreme Dalek spoke. "Dispose of him and take the Doctor and his companion to the vault, they are the playthings of Davros now. Take the other two to the other prisoners for the final testing."

Rose and the Doctor were herded away. The Doctor tried to keep close to her to whisper.

"Don't worry Rose, they'll be ok, Alec will be ok, he'll know what to do and he'll activate the Tardis before it's too late."

"I told him not to try to follow me, he's stubborn."

"Yeah? Just like someone else I know then. How did you meet him?"

"Silence!" shouted a mechanical voice behind them.

"Don't worry Rose, they need us alive or suffer the consequences of the fury of Davros."

Mickey and Sarah-Jane were led away but Mickey had his portable device he could use but couldn't leave his friend behind, not unless his hand was forced and he wasn't a coward, not any more, Rose had taught him that. They were led to join some other prisoners in some sort of holding cell but while one of them was falling over, Sarah-Jane saw her chance and called Mickey over to a doorway, opening it with her sonic lipstick. Once inside, they ducked to avoid a Dalek spotting them.

"What's that?" Mickey asked as she put the lipstick in her pocket.

"Long story. We have to get out of here and find the Doctor and Rose and who was that other man?"

"Rose's fiancé, apparently. I've met him before but he proposed to her just before she left."

"Left where Mickey and why does he look like the Doctor?"

"Me and Rose, we've been off world for a while, living in a parallel one, Rose met him a few weeks ago when she was on holiday. He's a Police detective."

Just then, there was a green glow outside the window and despite a Dalek standing in front of it, they could see the prisoners disintegrating in front of their eyes. Sarah-Jane couldn't look. Suddenly, some grating gave way and Jack crawled through it.

"Great, I crawl through miles of tunnels and who do I find? Mickey Mouse!"

"Look who's talking captain cheesecake. Thought those Daleks had finished you off?"

"Nah! Not me and that's captain beefcake to you." He grabbed Mickey for a hug.

"And that's enough hugging."

Sarah-Jane brought a chain out of her pocket and showed it to Jack.

Meanwhile, after they found themselves sprawled over the floor of the Tardis suddenly, Alec and Donna had scrambled to their feet and Alec was at the controls.

"Well do something spaceman," Donna insisted, whacking his arm as flames began erupting around them.

"Hey, I'm new at all this in case you didn't witness me turning into a Timelord. It was not my idea and don't call me spaceman, I could arrest you for assaulting a police officer."

"Yeah, well, PC Plod, if you don't get us out of here, you'll have no-one to arrest, will you?"

Alec was unaware he was still glowing slightly and the whack on the arm Donna just transferred to her but suddenly, just as more flames took hold, he spied the glass jar containing the Doctor's hand. Touching it, he jumped back, shook his head and pressed a button on the console. Once in orbit above the Dalek ship, the Tardis began to put out the fires, leaving Donna staring and leaning on a strut.