The Doctor Of War ³

The Magicians Apprentice

"Spread out! Get down!" one of the soldiers aim an arrow and it flies off, then turns to see a young boy running in the opposite direction, into the smoke. A siren sounds, then another soldier runs up.

"What's wrong?"

"Was that a child?" the boy is breathless, but still running "hey! You there, stop! Stop running!" the boy stops "It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you. Just don't run."

"Kanzo?" one of the soldiers ask.

"I'll catch up."

"There are clam drones two miles away."

"I know. I'll be fine. Just go" the soldier runs back and Kanzo turns back to the boy "what are you doing out here, huh? Did you get lost?" the ground ripples "stay still. Stay absolutely still" Kanzo gets out a small hand-held scanner "I'm just scanning the ground. I think we've got company. Do you know what hand mines are?" the boy nods "well, in that case, you know you've got to stand absolutely still. Right?" the boy nods again "have you ever seen a hand mine?" the boy nods another time "where?" Kanzo follows the boy's gaze to his own foot, which has a hand from out of the ground clamped around his ankle "ok. It's ok. Everything's going to be fine" Kanzo is suddenly pulled underground. Then more hands come out of the mud and turn around. They have eyes in their palms and stop when they see the boy.

"Help me! Someone, please! Help me! Help me!" a sonic screwdriver flies through the air and lands at his feet.

"Your chances of survival are about one in a thousand. So, here's what you do. You forget the thousand, and you concentrate on the one. Pick it up. I said, pick it up!" I shout, the boy obeys

"I'm straight ahead of you, about fifty feet. Can you see me?" the smoke clears to reveal the TARDIS and me "the device in your hand is creating an acoustic corridor so that we can talk. Do you understand?"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, we're just passer-by's. We're were looking for a bookshop. How do you think we're doing?" the Doctor asks stepping out of the TARDIS.

"This isn't a bookshop" the boy replies.

"No, this is a war. A very old one, going by the mix of technology. Which war is this? We get them all muddled up."
"It's just the war."

"Where are we? What planet is this?" I ask.

"I don't understand."

"Well, neither do we. We try never to understand. It's called an open mind. Now, you have got to make a choice."

"A choice?"

"Yes, you have got to decide that you're going to live. Survival is just a choice. Choose it now."

"If I move, they'll get me."

"I told you, you have one chance in a thousand. But one is all you ever need. What's your name? Come on, faith in the future. Introduce yourself! Tell me the name of the boy who isn't going to die today."

"Davros. My name is Davros" my eyes widen and the Doctor pulls me away "hello? Are you still there? Please, you've got to help me. You said I could survive. You said you'd help me. Help me!"

---

A spaceship arrives at a planet, and a figure in a long-hooded robe glides and weaves down an alley into the dingy club. The customers are aliens of many races.

"Father, why are all the women weeping?" the door is burst open, glass breaks, and the figure hisses at the audience.

"We are Colony Sarff. We bring harm" It glides up to an Ood, then past around the floor.