Touch The Sky: Doctor Who/Studio C [Book 3]

The Stolen Earth (Part 2)

"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

"No," Jack murmured as the chant continued. "Oh, no."

"What is it?" Gwen demanded. "Who are they? Do you know them, Jack?"

Instead of answering, Jack wrapped an arm around both his coworkers. "There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry, we're dead."

Sarah Jane, sobbing, wrapped her arms around Luke and choked out, "You're so young."

Just a few streets apart from each other, two blonde women looked on with only variations of cold, resigned determination and fear that couldn't quite be erased. Mallory closed her eyes, silent but for the quiet sigh that escaped her. Rose, equally wordless, got to her feet and hooked the strap of her gun back over her shoulders, leaving the shop. She spared the ships above a glance, then strode away.

She didn't even turn at the explosion behind her.

~~~

"DALEK FLEET IN BATTLE FORMATION."

"ALL SYSTEMS LOCKED AND PRIMED."

"CRUCIBLE AT NINETY PERCENT EFFICIENCY."

"THE HUMAN HARVEST WILL COMMENCE!"

Four Daleks gathered around a control panel, volleying back information to each other. "SUPREME DALEK ON THE BRIDGE," one announced.

A panel opened and another Dalek, this one red and slightly bigger than the rest, emerged. "SOON THE CRUCIBLE WILL BE COMPLETE," it announced with a deeper than usual voice. "WE HAVE WAITED LONG FOR THIS ULTIMATE DESTINY. NOW THE DALEKS ARE THE MASTERS OF EARTH!"

"DALEKS ARE THE MASTERS OF EARTH!" a hundred Dalek voices chanted in unison. "DALEKS ARE THE MASTERS OF EARTH!"

Below, Brigadier-General Averrit gave a bellow that could have challenged them in volume. "Battle stations! Geneva declaring Ultimate Code Red." She paused. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are at war."

~~~

"So, go on then, what is the Shadow Proclamation anyway?" Donna asked, clinging to the TARDIS console as it shook even more than usual.

"Posh name for police," the Doctor admitted. "Outer space police." He slammed a lever. "Here we go!"

When they landed, they were greeted by a long line of Judoon who immediately raised their weapons before there was even time to admire the modern, sleek building around them. The Doctor lifted his hands, nodding at Donna to do the same.

"Sco bo to no flo jo ko fo. To to!" the lead Judoon said. With a quirk of amusement that was both wildly out of place and desperately needed, the Doctor remembered the TARDIS had decided centuries ago that the Judoon's language was beneath her and henceforth refused to translate it.

"No bo ho sho ko ro to so," the Doctor answered, then spoke so quickly the next syllables blurred together. "Bokodozogobofopojo." The Judoon lowered their weapons and the two dropped their hands. "Ma ho," the Doctor added.

Without further discourse, the Judoon turned and led them deeper into the building.

A pale, albino woman who was certainly not human greeted them—the Shadow Architect. "Hello," the Doctor said, disarming cheer on in full force. "I'm the Doctor, Last of the Time Lords, the Oncoming Storm—you might've heard of me. Had to call on you back on Rijul VI a few years ago—actually, never mind, couple centuries in the future, that. Anyways! We've got a bit of a problem."