Dusk ⋆ Doctor Who¹

12. The Dilemma

AURORA ISN'T AFRAID, NOT ANYMORE. She's way past that.

She's furious. Rage ripples off of her.

"We are the paradigm of a new Dalek race," the white one says. "Scientist, Strategist, Drone, Eternal, and the Supreme."

"Which would be you, I'm guessing," the Doctor says.

Aurora scoffs. "Look at that. Our very own Seven Dwarfs. Sneezy, Bashful, Grumpy, Dopey..." She bares her teeth. "And Douchy."

The Doctor clears his throat. "Well, you know, nice paint job, anyway. I'd be feeling pretty swish if I looked like you. Pretty supreme." Silence. Aurora doesn't even smile. "Question is, what do we do now? Either you turn off your clever machine or Aurora will blow you and your new paradigm into eternity."

"And yourself."

"Occupational hazard."

"The Dawn wouldn't sacrifice the Doctor."

Aurora doesn't say anything, face fixed in a grimace of anger.

"Scan reveals nothing," the blue one says. "TARDIS self-destruct device non-existent."

A twitch in her eyes is the only indication of her fear. And then, the Doctor eats the biscuit right over her hand, and she makes a disgusted noise.

"That's disgusting!"

"All right, it's a Jammy Dodger, but I was promised tea," he says.

Just as Aurora braces herself, ready to be exterminated, there's a siren sound.

"Alert. Unidentified projectile approaching. Correction, multiple projectiles."

She follows the Doctor to the console showing on a little screen the different projectile.

"What have the humans done?" the white one asks.

Aurora gulps. "I don't know."

"Explain. Explain. Explain."

"Danny Boy to the Doctor," the voice, clear as a bell, rings in the spaceship. "Danny Boy to the Doctor. Are you receiving me? Over."

This time, Aurora can't help her laugh.

"Oh ho!" the Doctor exclaims. "Winston, you beauty!"

"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Come in. Over."

"Loud and clear, Danny Boy. Big dish, side of the ship. Blow it up. Over."

"Exterminate the enemies!"

The Doctor takes Aurora's hand as they run for the TARDIS, alarms blaring in the room, and laser beams being fired at them.

Once they're safe in the TARDIS, the Doctor tugs Aurora into a hug, that she half-heartedly reciprocates.

"You were brilliant, absolutely brilliant!"

She shakes her head, stepping back. "I was scared. I was so, so scared. And angry. Why was I so angry?"

The Doctor doesn't know yet. "I don't know, but we're fine!"

She nods, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. Yeah, we're fine."

But, somewhere, deep inside her heart, no matter how hard she tries to cover it... She's still hurt.

"Danny Boy to the Doctor," the voice rings in the TARDIS. "Only me left now. Anything you can do, sir? Over."

Any trace of joy disappears as the Doctor takes the speaker to his mouth, looking gravely at Aurora. "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. I can disrupt the Dalek shields, but not for long. Over."