Doctor Who and the End of Days (The Future Doctor Chronicles Part Three)

Chapter Fifteen

Robert awoke with a sharp intake of breath and frantically scanned his surroundings. If death was coming he had no intention of having his back to it. As the disorientation he felt subsided he quickly realised he was back in the safety of the Tardis with friendly but concerned faces around him. He gripped the armrests of the chair he'd presumably been lifted onto while unconscious and tried to stand up.  

"Don't try to stand, you're still a bit shaken up. Here drink this." said Father Solomon handing him a white china cup and saucer filled with sweet tea. 

"What happened out there." he asked. 

The Doctor walked over from the console and lowered himself to Roberts's level. 

"They saw through the ruse but thankfully I got you out of there before they could do anything. Did you manage to film them?" said the Doctor calmly. 

"Yes I did." he replied before passing the phone to the Doctor. 

"Thank you very much. Your single act of bravery could well have saved the lives of every one on this planet." said the Doctor as he gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 

The Doctor rummaged around in his pockets but to his surprise didn't find what he was looking for. 

"I don't suppose anyone has seen my sonic screwdriver?" three blank faces stared back at him "I guess that's a no then. Where could I have put it?" he said more to himself than anyone else. 

"I always put useful things in my glove compartment." said Father Solomon trying to be helpful. 

"Good idea." said the Doctor as strode towards the console. 

He reached underneath the hexagonal mahogany console and pulled out a small drawer with a brass handle. Nestled in amongst several white paper bags full of jelly babies was his irreplaceable sonic screwdriver. A device that'd got him out of countless scrapes for over a thousand years. He pressed a small round button on the side of the device and pointed it at the phones screen. The small sphere at the end of the screwdriver glowed green for several seconds and then emitted a short beep. As soon as it did so he pointed it at the monitor screen and watched as the video began to play. 

"Excellent. You've done very well." he turned to face Robert who was still sat down sipping his tea "It perfectly shows their transformation from what they claim to be into what they really are. You may well have earned a biscuit for this." he said with a smile.  

"What's our next move then Doctor?" asked Jen. 

"Well with a flick of that switch," he pointed to a small brass switch on the console "or by using this." he held the sonic screwdriver in the air "I can broadcast the video across the entire planet. Within seconds it can be on every TV screen, every computer and every mobile phone. But I can't do that yet. First I must face them and offer them an ultimatum." 

"Are you crazy Doctor? They don't deserve a second chance." shouted Jen angrily. 

"I'm not that person anymore, I can't be. They must be given a chance to leave of their own accord." 

"And what if they don't?" asked Father Solomon. 

"Then I'll have no choice but to destroy them." 

The Doctor opened the doors and made to leave but stopped on the threshold and turned around to face his companions. 

"Whatever happens in the next few minutes don't come after me. The last thing I need is another death on my conscience." he warned them. 

With his hands in his pockets the Doctor casually strolled into the plant room, stood a few yards from the angels and coughed loudly. As expected all four of them awakened and advanced towards him transforming into their true selves as they did so. This was clearly an effort to scare and intimidate him but he'd lived far too long to fear such creatures. He held up his hand as a signal for them to stop, which to his surprise they actually did.  

"You have one final chance to leave this planet and its inhabitants alone before I annihilate your invasion force. If you think this to be an idle threat then I ask you to look into my eyes. Within them you'll see the soul of a man who's vanquished a thousand foes, a man who always walks away from his enemy's unscathed." he warned. 

"You're only one man Doctor. How could you possible stop us?" replied the angels in unison. 

"You're wrong." smiled the Doctor "I'm one Time Lord and his sonic screwdriver actually." he said smugly as he produced the device from his pocket. 

He pressed a button on the side and watched as the end of the screwdriver glowed blue. It did this for several seconds and then emitted a series of repetitive beeps before falling silent.  

"I'm sorry." he said as the angels began to writhe around in pain before a column of orange flame consumed them all leaving only a scorch mark on the floor to show they ever existed at all. 

The Doctor placed his hands in his pockets and calmly strolled back to the Tardis confident that the destruction he just witnessed would be repeated across the whole planet.