Doctor Who - Incarceration

Part Nine - An Unexpected Diversion

"The Valeyard," said the Doctor. "We meet again. I'd ask what you've been up to, but I think I can guess. Are you going to introduce us to your new friends?"

The Valeyard stepped aside and the shadows behind him materialised into the bloodied forms of the Chosen Ones. They leered at their prey, sticky red saliva dripping from elongated teeth. Daak hissed a challenge and stepped forwards, but the Doctor put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"You've seen them slaughter dozens of people--some much bigger than you--without breaking stride. In spite of that you still want to blunder in?"

"If I'm gonna go down, I'm gonna do it swinging and fighting."

"Oh, look at me, I'm Absolom Daak," sneered the Doctor. "I'm so hard I'll fight anyone. Even if they could tear me to pieces without breaking sweat." He turned to Clara and Jenny. "One of you, please put a leash on the attack dog. Grown-ups need to talk here." He strode toward the Valeyard, ignoring Daak's poisonous glare. "So, what's it to be? Eat us all up, or turn us into your mindless minions. I've always wondered what it's like to be a minion, mainly 'cause I like the word. Minion." He rolled the word round his mouth before his face hardened, and he pointed a long finger in the Valeyard's face. "We both know you won't win."

The Valeyard chuckled. "I forgot how much you enjoy the theatre of these occasions. It is tedious, though, and I am getting rather peckish. I wonder, which of your companions here shall I eat first?" He licked his lips. "Or we could turn you into a vampire and let you kill your nearest and dearest. Yes, that has a certain beautiful irony to it. What about it, Doctor? You've always wondered what trauma turned you into me..."

"You and I both know that won't cut it. I've done much worse things, but I'm still here," said the Doctor, ignoring Davros' rasping chuckle as he continued: "In any case, what you don't realise is that I have a secret weapon." He leapt to the side and pointed his sonic screwdriver at the device which he and Davros had cobbled together.

The Valeyard hissed and the other vampires took a step backwards as the screwdriver buzzed, causing the device to glow and revolve slowly. The Doctor grinned triumphantly.

After a few moments the Valeyard cocked his head. "Is it supposed to do anything more than that?"

"Yes," said the Doctor, frowning at his sonic screwdriver, shaking it and then aiming it once more at the device.

"The two finest scientific brains in the galaxy," said the Valeyard, "and you basically could only come up with a spinning wheel."

"Apparently," said the Doctor.

"Bit embarrassing."

"Not quite the word I'd use," muttered the Doctor. He turned to glare at Davros, who was cackling in the corner. "You did this. Why?"

"We are sworn enemies," said Davros. "Did you really think I would be so stupid as to help you create a device which you could turn on me also?"

"Hey, as if I would..." the Doctor protested.

"Enough of this," snapped the Valeyard. "I promised my friends some sport, and I rather sense them getting restless."

The girl, forgotten at the back of the group, muttered something. "What?" asked Clara, turning to look at her.

"Shouldn't be here," she said, eyes wide with an intensity bordering on the insane. "Not here. Shouldn't be here."

"Shhh. Calm down," hissed Clara, but the eyes of the room were already on them.

"You!" shouted the Valeyard, taking a step back as he noticed her for the first time. "What are you...? You can't be...!"

"Interesting," muttered the Doctor, looking from one to the other.