Jonah and the Star Whale ((WD/Jonah Caine))

[Jonah Caine]

Without any preamble, Sebastian pushed scornfully past the Warrior, intending to simply stick his head inside the door. After all, there wouldn't be much to see, not in a supposed ship that was the size of nothing more than a large cabinet. The man's advanced age had obviously addled his mind. He was wandering in his wits, to claim that he travelled the stars in such an unprepossessing conveyance. As for the boy, who knew what his motives were in confirming the ridiculous charade? Just the fact that he was Malachi Caine's son meant that he couldn't be trusted.

However, the sight that met the young rebel leader's eyes was enough to shake his world to its very core. An enormous chamber, supported by six pillars of what appeared to be coral; the walls patterned with brightly-lit roundels; the cathedral ceiling draped with black, snake-like cables. And at the very heart of the room, a strange circular console, pierced with a refulgent column of crystalline light.

Sebastian generally prided himself on not allowing anything to surprise or to shake him in front of his men. When it came to the business of running a rebellion, appearances were everything. No-one would be prepared to follow a leader they perceived to be weak or incompetent. Which was why he always took care to maintain his cool-headed, sardonic persona whenever he was in the public eye.

But when he saw the interior of the old man's ship, he was so astonished, he completely forgot himself. His jaw dropped and he muttered a hoarse curse word, abruptly jerking his head back outside again. Unable to stop himself, he circled the outside of the TARDIS, almost at a run, staring at the wooden blue walls as if he'd seen a ghost.

“It isn't possible!” he exclaimed, after completing three circuits, and then sticking his head back in again. “It just isn't possible! It goes against every known law of physics.”

Furiously, he whirled on the War Doctor, his dark eyes glittering with affront. “If this is some kind of trick, old man, you'd better speak up right now! Because there is no way in hell your ship can be bigger on the inside!”

[Deleted]

Without any preamble, Sebastian pushed scornfully past the Warrior, intending to simply stick his head inside the door...But when he saw the interior of the old man's ship, he was so astonished, he completely forgot himself. His jaw dropped and he muttered a hoarse curse word, abruptly jerking his head back outside again. Unable to stop himself, he circled the outside of the TARDIS, almost at a run, staring at the wooden blue walls as if he'd seen a ghost.

He gave a mild huff as the young man strode by him, then turned to Jonah and winked at him as he heard him swear. He stood waiting as Sebastian toured the outside of the ship, walking around it in complete disbelief, watching on the viewer. Adopting a posture of long-suffering, though he was actually a little bit amused at how disarmed he was by what he was seeing, he stood by the central dais until he came to his senses.

“It isn't possible!” he exclaimed, after completing three circuits, and then sticking his head back in again. “It just isn't possible! It goes against every known law of physics."

"Just because you don't understand how it's done, doesn't mean it's impossible. It's just not possible for you." He put out his arms. "Didn't people think the same of the Ingenium, once? This ship is a product of applied transdimentional engineering. The ship transcends your traditional pyshical sciences, of which are the tip of the proverbial iceberg."

Furiously, he whirled on the War Doctor, his dark eyes glittering with affront. “If this is some kind of trick, old man, you'd better speak up right now! Because there is no way in hell your ship can be bigger on the inside!”

"It can be, and it is," he said shortly. He narrowed his eyes a bit at him. "You're angry. You think it's more likely I'm tricking you than there exists something outside of your understanding. There is, as you can see, plenty of space here that we can use to try to save your people, which is what I've been trying to do since I got here.

[Jonah Caine]

"Just because you don't understand how it's done, doesn't mean it's impossible. It's just not possible for you." He put out his arms. "Didn't people think the same of the Ingenium, once? This ship is a product of applied transdimentional engineering. The ship transcends your traditional pyshical sciences, of which are the tip of the proverbial iceberg."

"The Ingenium are a filthy abomination, an unnecessary and unnatural blight on society, conceived by a madman with delusions of playing God!” Sebastian spat. “You do yourself no favours by comparing the technology of your ship to them, old man!”

Fury flared inside Jonah, a powerful anger he couldn't put a name to, but was real just the same. Fists clenched, he stepped forward and shoved his face into Sebastian's. “You're quick enough to say that, but do you really think your precious little bunch of motley humans would even be alive right now, if it wasn't for the Ingenium? They're the ones up there, fighting your war for you, being blown to bits and scattered to the wind, and you aren't even grateful, you lousy piece of shit!”

“Spoken like a real Caine!” Sebastian sneered. “I wondered how long it would be before you showed your true colours. You're nothing but a sheep, brainwashed by your megalomaniac old man!”

“At least my old man is up there trying to do something about the Daleks. That's more than you can say!” Jonah shot back. “All you're doing is cowering down here, too scared to make a move. Call yourself a leader? You wouldn't know leadership if it bit you in the butt! The Warrior is offering you a ship, you idiot! A way out of here, for all these people you profess to care so much about. So stop getting caught up in your own propaganda and so something real. Save them!”

Furiously, [Sebastian] whirled on the War Doctor, his dark eyes glittering with affront. “If this is some kind of trick, old man, you'd better speak up right now! Because there is no way in hell your ship can be bigger on the inside!”

"It can be, and it is," [the War Doctor] said shortly. He narrowed his eyes a bit at him. "You're angry. You think it's more likely I'm tricking you than there exists something outside of your understanding. There is, as you can see, plenty of space here that we can use to try to save your people, which is what I've been trying to do since I got here.”

For a moment, the rage that boiled inside Sebastian as he looked back and forth between the two of them seemed destined to win out. Pugnaciously standing his ground, Jonah half expected the rebel leader to order them to be flung into some rat-infested dungeon somewhere in the labyrinth of tunnels.

But as it turned out, he was underestimating the man. Sebastian was arrogant and bigoted, but he took his position as a leader very seriously. These people were counting on him for their lives. And he wouldn't let them down, even if that meant eating humble pie. Even if it meant trusting a Caine.

Grimly, without another word to either of them, he turned and strode back outside the doors, heading across to his second in command, a young blonde man with impressive muscles. “Jed, round everyone up. I want them all here, every last human that's down here, within ten minutes, ready to go. Tell them to bring only essentials. We're getting out of here.”

[Deleted]

"The Ingenium are a filthy abomination, an unnecessary and unnatural blight on society, conceived by a madman with delusions of playing God!” Sebastian spat. “You do yourself no favours by comparing the technology of your ship to them, old man!”

"I'm not asking you to like it, I'm saying that not so many years ago such a thing would be considered impossible. And that is true." Unfortunately, the rebel leader's displaced anger in turn caught Jonah's attention, and he was quick enough to respond in turn. The pair rapid-fired at one another, until the rebel leader finally whirled around on him again and demanded explanations - ones that he would not wish to hear.

“If this is some kind of trick, old man, you'd better speak up right now! Because there is no way in hell your ship can be bigger on the inside!”

"It can be, and it is," [the War Doctor] said shortly. He narrowed his eyes a bit at him. "You're angry. You think it's more likely I'm tricking you than there exists something outside of your understanding. There is, as you can see, plenty of space here that we can use to try to save your people, which is what I've been trying to do since I got here.”

Grimly, without another word to either of them, he turned and strode back outside the doors, heading across to his second in command, a young blonde man with impressive muscles. “Jed, round everyone up. I want them all here, every last human that's down here, within ten minutes, ready to go. Tell them to bring only essentials. We're getting out of here.”

The Time Lord heaved a heavy sigh and turned towards Jonah. "And that was the easy part...I know that you two don't seem destined to be fast friends, but we do need to try to work together. Get the people on board, then we can see what we can do about your father. In fact, I'll start programming a scan now, so I can layer in some misdirections. We wouldn't want to be found while we're evacuating." He turned to the console and began to input strings of code, strange circular figures rushing across the screen in front of him. "Do be a good lad, and don't wander off, hrm?"

[Jonah Caine]

The Time Lord heaved a heavy sigh and turned towards Jonah. "And that was the easy part...I know that you two don't seem destined to be fast friends, but we do need to try to work together.”

Jonah fumed for a moment, glaring at the door through which Sebastian had gone, as if he could set it on fire, just by looking at it. But he couldn't deny the imperative of the Warrior's words. Up on the surface, the Daleks were still slaughtering anything that moved, and their time was running out.

“What do you want me to do?” he gritted out.

“Get the people on board, then we can see what we can do about your father. In fact, I'll start programming a scan now, so I can layer in some misdirections. We wouldn't want to be found while we're evacuating."

Still tense, Jonah sloped over to the doors. “Yeah, right. Like I need to do anything. Sebastian the Ultimate Hero already has all that under control.”

[The War Doctor] turned to the console and began to input strings of code, strange circular figures rushing across the screen in front of him. "Do be a good lad, and don't wander off, hrm?"

Jonah snorted dismissively, then stuck his head outside, to see if anything was happening.

Sure enough, out in the torch-lit tunnels, people were already beginning to gather. Some of them were shepherding elderly people, a few even carried small children. All of them brought baggage, the pathetic bundles of belongings that were all these refugees had left in the world after the savagery of the Dalek attack. Ragged, hollow-eyed and fearful, they paused in a huddle, staring in disbelief at the TARDIS. Jonah couldn't help wondering just how much Sebastian's men had explained to them – and how much had been believed.

“Looks like we've got our first customers,” he said over his shoulder to the Warrior. “Prepare to be boarded, Captain.”

With that, he pushed the doors wide and stood framed in the entrance to the TARDIS.

“Come on in,” he called, his voice heavy with irony. “The water's fine.”

[Deleted]

Jonah fumed for a moment, glaring at the door through which Sebastian had gone... “What do you want me to do?” he gritted out.

"For right now, I will need help herding these people and keeping them calm until we can get them to safety. I have made a large room appear where they can stay, it should be comfortable enough for the moment if not luxurious." He pointed to the wall. There was now a new door there that had not been there before, but now seemed as if it had been there all the while. "Through there and down the hall..."

Still tense, Jonah sloped over to the doors. “Yeah, right. Like I need to do anything. Sebastian the Ultimate Hero already has all that under control.”

"I think that we'll find that's not the case, after all he doesn't even seem to believe that my ship is what it is, but you do. And if he doesn't believe, why should they?"

Sure enough, out in the torch-lit tunnels, people were already beginning to gather...
“Looks like we've got our first customers,” he said over his shoulder to the Warrior. “Prepare to be boarded, Captain.” With that, he pushed the doors wide and stood framed in the entrance to the TARDIS. “Come on in,” he called, his voice heavy with irony. “The water's fine.”

The first few people through the door simply stopped, dumbstruck, blocking them for anyone else trying to get through. Angry and alarmed shouts to move in began, and shoving next. Someone lost something of theirs underfoot and a child began to cry anew.

"It's alright, please come in, come on now," he urged, waving them inside. People began to take boggled steps inside, wide eyed as they looked around. "How is this possible, it's so...big in here!" he heard, and variations of it as new people arrived. Normally, he enjoyed the wonder, but for these people it was another experience to try their already worn nerves. They seemed angry, or afraid. But there were a few older children who manage to escape their shouting parents ran aboard and exclaimed in joy how 'cool it looked.' As they did the adults too began to point at things and get in the way of one another. And that was when the Renegade began to see little hands start to slam down onto the controls, pull at levers, touch everything. Simply everything they could reach. Worse, the adults too crowded around the console and packed him into a corner.

"Yes, it's bigger on the inside, now please move in. It's supposed to be. Don't touch that!" he said, exasperatedly to a brown-eyed little girl in uneven pigtails, who while looking right at him hit the button three more times in quick succession. Something beeped, as if the ship itself was a bit annoyed. Much like it's pilot, the Renegade had not had company all that often in this incarnation and certainly nothing of this proportion in some very long while. The press of humanity was instantly aggravating his sensibilities.

"I said don't touch that, mind your hands to yourselves, please...yes let's all get inside. The lavatory is that way as well, yes. Down the hall. Yes, there will be something to eat. No, I don't...yes, we can get you some blankets--DON'T TOUCH THAT!" he said shortly, without even needing to turn around. The mischievous girl had snuck back over to pull the door pull lever, and the Renegade hit the override control with a huff.

[Jonah Caine]

Leaning against one of the roundelled walls, arms folded, Jonah watched with amusement as the unwashed tide of humanity surged in through the doors. Despite the seriousness of the situation, it was funny to watch the brusque, no-nonsense Warrior being so thoroughly put out of his comfort zone by the invasion of his space. Or at least, it was at first. Everyone was so curious, crowding around, craning their necks to see the console and the time rotor, trying to find the best place to settle their belongings. It was hilarious.

But then, the little girl started pushing and pulling at the controls. Of course, none of the adults stopped her. None of them would think of it. None of them would dare. She was a child, one of the most precious and rare commodities that Copernicus possessed. Children were pampered and adored, smothered with love and care. They were never chastised.

However, the Warrior didn't come from Copernicus. And he was already clearly on edge from the influx of people. Before Jonah could move to stop him, he did the unthinkable. He raised his voice to the child, his tone irritable and sharp.

“DON'T TOUCH THAT!"

Instantly, the mood inside the room changed. The excitement drained away and horrified silence fell. Everyone stopped and stared. Around the Warrior and the child, the ring of people became suddenly hostile, their faces tense and angry.

Launching himself off the wall, Jonah elbowed his way through the ranks, bursting out the other side and putting his lanky body protectively in front of the Warrior. Of course, there was no sign of Sebastian. Why would there be? Jonah thought sourly. The rebel leader talked big, but as soon as there was a problem, he was nowhere to be found.

Trying for peace, he held up his hands, anxious to soothe the angry mutterings that were beginning to swell through the crowd.

“Look, he's not from around here. He didn't know, all right? He didn't mean anything by it.”

Out of the corner of his mouth, he whispered frantically to the Warrior, “You're not supposed to upbraid the kids, man. In Copernican society, that's a big fat no-no.”

A woman stepped forward, away from the others, her head held high, her bearing arrogant. “That is my daughter.” Every word she spoke rang with pride. She was one of the privileged, one of the few still-fertile women on the planet, a fact that had always granted her family immense prestige. She was accustomed to being listened to... and obeyed. “He will apologise to her.”

Jonah looked back and forth between the woman and the Warrior, suddenly seeing the situation for the first time through the eyes of the outsider, and struck by the ridiculousness of it. Here they were, on the brink of extermination by a ruthless army of invaders, and all these people cared about was their stupid, rigid social structure.

“She shouldn't have been touching the controls!” he blurted out. “None of you should! This is a spaceship... and this guy is trying to save you all. Don't you even get that?”

But the woman shook her head, her gaze obdurately fixed on the Warrior's face. “Apologise!” she insisted, while the crowd muttered and stirred dangerously behind her.

Shuffling forward, the little girl planted herself squarely in front of the Warrior, a smug expression on her face and her arms folded, as she looked up at him and waited for him to humble himself to her.

[Deleted]

If the Time Lord noticed the shift of mood immediately, he paid it no heed. He might be forgiven in thinking he had finally got their attention, so that he could get them safely into the next room and they could leave the planet. But it quickly became apparent he had committed a faux pas so deeply ingrained that not even the threat of an impending Dalek and Ingenium war could forestall it. Yet no one did anything to stop the children from running ransack through his ship and without proper manners, someone was going to get hurt.

“Look, he's not from around here. He didn't know, all right? He didn't mean anything by it.”

Out of the corner of his mouth, he whispered frantically to the Warrior, “You're not supposed to upbraid the kids, man. In Copernican society, that's a big fat no-no.”

He did, in fact, recall Jonah telling him the children were nigh revered. The opposite was also true, that being old was despicable in this place. And yet, that changed nothing about the danger of the situation of small hands pattering along his entire ship. He was glad to see that Jonah tried to help, though he was as resolute and stubborn as all of the Copernicans put together. And probably moreso than a Dalek.

A woman stepped forward, away from the others, her head held high, her bearing arrogant. “That is my daughter.” Every word she spoke rang with pride. She was one of the privileged, one of the few still-fertile women on the planet, a fact that had always granted her family immense prestige. She was accustomed to being listened to... and obeyed. “He will apologise to her.”

“She shouldn't have been touching the controls!” he blurted out. “None of you should! This is a spaceship... and this guy is trying to save you all. Don't you even get that?”

But the woman shook her head, her gaze obdurately fixed on the Warrior's face. “Apologise!” she insisted, while the crowd muttered and stirred dangerously behind her.

He gave the woman a weary glare and looked to the child, his look softening just very slightly, yet he still seemed stern. With an acidic undertone to his gravely voice, he said to her, "I'm sorry that your parents didn't see fit to teach you proper manners when entering as a guest in someone else's home. It seems as if I'll have to be the first one to tell you such critical, lifesaving behavior like don't push someone else's buttons unless you have permission, or don't wander off. That is a rule for people of all kinds, adults, children, old people, and babies. It is true for beasts, from cats and bats to vortisaurs. And it will be so for you. This is an advanced craft. Hitting buttons at random can be a disaster in the vacuum of space and we're in an emergency, in case you all haven't forgotten." He looked at the rest of the faces, sure they were going to be angry and gaping at him, calling for blood. He merely pushed the viewscreen on so they could all see what was going on out of their vision. He gestured to the screen. "If you don't like the rules of my home, you are welcome to leave and go back to yours," He put his hand on the door lever control. "Anyone? No? Good. Now move along!"

[Jonah Caine]

He gave the woman a weary glare and looked to the child, his look softening just very slightly, yet he still seemed stern. With an acidic undertone to his gravely voice, he said to her, "I'm sorry that your parents didn't see fit to teach you proper manners when entering as a guest in someone else's home.”

“What's manners?” the little girl demanded, as if she was indeed unfamiliar with both the word and the concept. Her lower lip jutted out in an offended pout. “You're old. I don't like you.”

And she buried her face in her mother's skirts.

“It seems as if I'll have to be the first one to tell you such critical, lifesaving behavior,” the War Doctor continued. “Like don't push someone else's buttons unless you have permission, or don't wander off.”

“I know they're pushing my buttons,” Jonah muttered sourly from the background, in a low, annoyed voice.

“How dare you?” the mother seethed, and it was unclear whether her rejoinder was directed at the Warrior or Jonah or both. “That was not an acceptable apology. How dare you presume to correct my daughter?”

“That is a rule for people of all kinds, adults, children, old people, and babies,” the Warrior informed her. “It is true for beasts, from cats and bats to vortisaurs. And it will be so for you. This is an advanced craft. Hitting buttons at random can be a disaster in the vacuum of space and we're in an emergency, in case you all haven't forgotten."

A little boy elbowed his way through the crowd of incensed adults and poked the little girl in the back. “Stop being such a cry-baby, Amélie. We're on a spaceship! We're going into space! This is so cool!” He aimed an excited, gap-toothed grin at the Warrior. “Don't worry, Mister. I won't let her touch your stuff again.”

The crowd stirred, still angry, but unsure what measures to take. Copernicus had always been a peaceful planet, up until now. There really hadn't been any widespread emergencies before, not since the Dustfall. Which was fortunate, since it wasn't always easy to make decisions in a society governed largely by the erratic whims of children.

[The Warrior] looked at the rest of the faces, sure they were going to be angry and gaping at him, calling for blood. He merely pushed the viewscreen on so they could all see what was going on out of their vision. He gestured to the screen. "If you don't like the rules of my home, you are welcome to leave and go back to yours," He put his hand on the door lever control. "Anyone? No? Good. Now move along!"

They all stared at the screen, and everyone froze, mesmerised in horror. It was a battle scene, just like so many others they had seen in the last few hours. But these were not images of the Daleks fighting the Ingenium, beamed from the surface of the planet. This was much closer. Bright laser beams arced along a dim, narrow tunnel. Through an obscuring cloud of dust and smoke, the Daleks could be seen advancing, the smooth domes of their heads moving back and forth, as they scanned their surrounding with their protruding eyestalks. That was horrifying enough, but even worse was the familiar knot of human defenders gathered in the foreground, hunkered down behind an inadequate barricade formed of piled-up debris, desperately returning fire in an attempt to keep the invaders at bay.

“Sebastian!” Jonah exclaimed in shock, suddenly realising that he hadn't seen the rebel leader and his men entering the TARDIS with the other refugees. How the hell had he missed that? “The Daleks must have broken through, into the tunnels. He's trying to hold them back, so the others can escape!”

Without thinking, the boy ran towards the TARDIS doors. “He's gonna get himself killed. We have to help him!”

[Deleted]

A little boy elbowed his way through the crowd of incensed adults and poked the little girl in the back. “Stop being such a cry-baby, Amélie. We're on a spaceship! We're going into space! This is so cool!” He aimed an excited, gap-toothed grin at the Warrior. “Don't worry, Mister. I won't let her touch your stuff again.”

"Well..." The Time Lord hesitated, but eventually said, "Thank you young man. Now," he added, clapping his hands together. "As I was saying..." he finished off laying down the rules of his TARDIS, mostly for their own benefit. Not that they'd see it that way. However, when he flicked the viewscreen up he hadn't been prepared to find his audience frozen in place. He was about to tell them to get a move on when he, too, looked up and saw the form of Sebastian amidst all the carnage. He looked like a man determined to die a hero, if he'd ever seen one. And he had, unfortunately, seen too many. Worse, crowded around him were his people, ready to die to prevent the Daleks from getting to his people. It would have been admirable, if it weren't so collossaly stupid - and human, he supposed.

“Sebastian!” Jonah exclaimed in shock, suddenly realising that he hadn't seen the rebel leader and his men entering the TARDIS with the other refugees. How the hell had he missed that? “The Daleks must have broken through, into the tunnels. He's trying to hold them back, so the others can escape!”

"We've got everyone here /but/ them," he said in an exasperated tone, scowling at the screen. Already he was starting to set his fingers along the controls, trying to get the most precise coordinates for Sebastian and his group of fighters. "Everyone, into the rooms provided. Now!" It was half an order and half a plea and he had hardly time to force them.

Without thinking, the boy ran towards the TARDIS doors. “He's gonna get himself killed. We have to help him!”

"Not by getting yourself killed, you won't! Get back in here. I have another idea," he said, reaching out to grab Jonah so he wouldn't leave the ship and all but shutting the doors in his face. Already, the slow churning of the time rotor began to pick up in steady rhythm. The TARDIS dematerialised and the Renegade desperately piloted his ship in a short hop to encapsulate the group of humans desperately fighting for what was left of their home.

[Jonah Caine]

"We've got everyone here /but/ them," [the Warrior] said in an exasperated tone, scowling at the screen. Already he was starting to set his fingers along the controls, trying to get the most precise coordinates for Sebastian and his group of fighters. "Everyone, into the rooms provided. Now!" It was half an order and half a plea and he had hardly time to force them.

The shock of watching the desperate battle on the screen had chastened the small group of human refugees. Anxious and afraid, and therefore uncharacteristically compliant, they did as they were told, shuffling through the interior doorway, into the rooms the TARDIS had prepared for them. Some of the children were crying now, and their mothers were trying to hush and comfort them, while the faces of the men were grim. It was plain to see that none of them expected their leader to return to them alive.

Without thinking, [Jonah] ran towards the TARDIS doors. “He's gonna get himself killed. We have to help him!”

"Not by getting yourself killed, you won't! Get back in here. I have another idea," [the War Doctor] said, reaching out to grab Jonah so he wouldn't leave the ship and all but shutting the doors in his face.

The old man's grip was as strong as a vice, and by the time Jonah managed to struggle free, the doors had closed and the time rotor was in motion. They were leaving, he realised, watching the gnarled hands flying over the control panels. It was too late, the Warrior had already dematerialised his ship.

Passionately, he flung himself around, and yelled, “What idea? You're running away!  What are you planning to do? Strafe the Daleks from space?”

[Deleted]

The old man's grip was as strong as a vice, and by the time Jonah managed to struggle free, the doors had closed and the time rotor was in motion. They were leaving, he realised, watching the gnarled hands flying over the control panels. It was too late, the Warrior had already dematerialised his ship.

Passionately, he flung himself around, and yelled, “What idea? You're running away! What are you planning to do? Strafe the Daleks from space?”

"Will you /please/ stop flailing about! I am /trying/ to pilot the ship...now, hold on and be prepared for trouble," he grumbled. "This is going to be a bit tricky." On the screen, the deep, never-ending swirl of the time vortex swept by but only for the briefest of movements. He ticked them back just enough so that it would seem as if they dematerialised and rematerialised at the same time - it wasn't the case, but a near thing. A human would not be able to tell the difference and anything built by a species without time travel would be hard put to accurately measure it. Without much fanfare, the TARDIS solidified around where they'd seen the soldiers, around Sebastian who was trying to do a one man hold-out against a brace of murderous tin cans. There was a bit of flying blind to be done - and chance. They were rolling the dice that no one moved much outside the frame they'd been watching. The results could be...decidedly poor if the TARDIS was misplaced. As it was, they captured Sebastian which was the good news. The bad, however was that they drug a decapitated Dalek casing with them. The damnable Kaled within must still be alive, for it was attempting to move its eyestalk and it was warbling something hateful, though the exact words were lost to static as its speaker was damaged. It's arm-gun had been ripped off and was hanging down by its electrical. It wouldn't been able to work anyway, but the Renegade waved Jonah down anyway. "Get down," he said, moving to see if the rebel leader needed help to recover from suddenly being inside his ship. It was disorienting enough as it was, and he had no idea if the Dalek would still be able to try /something/ untoward. Being a Dalek, it was, after all, highly likely.

[Jonah Caine]

Sebastian Donahue had many faults. He was vain, arrogant, inflexible in his viewpoint, and quite often impatient and bombastic. But he was no coward. And, to his credit, he believed in his cause. Nothing in the universe was more important to him than the survival of this small, rag-tag remnant of the human population of Copernicus. He was prepared to give his life, if necessary, to enable the Doctor to get them to safety.

Even so, he planned to go down fighting. If he had to die, he would sell his life, and those of his men, as dearly as possible. The weapons he had painstakingly stockpiled for so long in hidden caches far below the Praesidium were good ones – high-powered energy rifles, designed to stop an Ingenium in its tracks, once the anticipated uprising against the humans had begun. Instead of leading the resistance he had so fondly imagined, he was now using them to destroy a different kind of cyborg, invaders who were no less deadly.

The passageways were choked with dust and grit and fallen debris, so that he could hardly breathe. Backing away from the merciless advance of the Daleks, firing as they went, he and his men had pulled their kerchiefs from around their necks, tying them over their faces, so that they looked like cowboys from the old Earth vids. The noise was indescribable – the whine of the laser guns; the explosions as many of the shots impacted with the walls in a white-hot blast of molten light; the harsh, metallic cries of the Daleks as they advanced, “EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!”; and the shrieks and cries of the dying humans, cut off abruptly in most cases, as their bones were incinerated from the inside out.

Many of his men had already fallen. Sebastian knew they had no chance of winning against such overwhelming opposition. The best they could do was to cause a diversion long enough for the rest of their people to escape. He could feel the weight of the powerful bomb in his pocket. Come on, you bastards, he silently urged the Daleks. Just a little bit closer, just the smallest bit, and then we all go to hell together. Raising his laser weapon, the rebel leader coldly targeted the polished dome of a Dalek emerging from the churning dust cloud and pulled the trigger, blowing the upper part of the creature to pieces, leaving nothing but a jagged, smoking ruin.

Beside him, another man fell, and with a shaft of sorrow, Sebastian realised it was Mark Shaw, his second-in-command and closest friend. In the confusion of battle, he was unable to tell if the other man was dead or injured, and he didn't have time to check. Instead, he stood over his fallen companion, screaming like a banshee with pain and rage, raining a hail of laser fire into the tunnel mouth, waiting for the shot that he wouldn't see, the one that would take his own life...

Until, suddenly, like a switch being flung, there was silence, as if he had been struck profoundly deaf. Spinning around wildly, his gaze incredulous, he realised he was no longer immersed in the maelstrom of dust and death. He and what was left of his men were now standing in a vast chamber, studded with indented roundels, and draped with snake-like cables, all leading to a central control console. And there, his gnarled hands firm on the controls, was the old man, with Jonah Caine hovering behind him.

Unsure what exactly they had done, Sebastian opened his mouth to rant at them, to spill out all his pent-up rage and vitriol, his fury that they would dare to interfere with his duty. They were supposed to be far away by now, taking his people with them. He didn't want to be saved, he didn't need their help, and by God they would send him back, so that he could finish what he started, so that he could wipe out as many Daleks as he could. But before he could say anything, he heard a distorted, quavering drone from close behind him, a static-punctured cacophony that sounded eerily like imperfectly-formed, broken words.

Turning, he saw the headless remains of the Dalek he thought he had just destroyed. An icy chill shot down his spine. Somehow, the foul creature was still alive, stubborn to the end, inching its way towards him, its gunstick dangling and useless, but its outer casing suddenly glowing with deadly electrical current.

Desperately, Sebastian fired at it, again and again, but nothing happened when he pulled the trigger, and still the mutilated Dalek kept on coming, intent on frying him like an egg.

[Deleted]

Spinning around wildly, his gaze incredulous, [Sebastian] realised he was no longer immersed in the maelstrom of dust and death. He and what was left of his men were now standing in a vast chamber, studded with indented roundels, and draped with snake-like cables, all leading to a central control console. And there, his gnarled hands firm on the controls, was the old man, with Jonah Caine hovering behind him.

Unsure what exactly they had done, Sebastian opened his mouth to rant at them...But before he could say anything, he heard a distorted, quavering drone from close behind him, a static-punctured cacophony that sounded eerily like imperfectly-formed, broken words. Turning, he saw the headless remains of the Dalek he thought he had just destroyed... Desperately, Sebastian fired at it, again and again, but nothing happened when he pulled the trigger, and still the mutilated Dalek kept on coming, intent on frying him like an egg.

"It won't work in here," he called out over the noise of the Dalek. "Your gun, I mean. The good news is that he's equally useless, if significantly louder and more irritating...it's not completely harmless, it a Dalek, but at least it it can't shoot you in my ship. And you can't shoot it," he explained, trying to ground Sebastian in what was going on. "I'll try to get rid of it, if you can all just move away from it," he said. "Jonah, can you help them, especially anyone wounded, clear out to the room with the rest of the evacuees, once they're away from the Dalek?"

For its own part, the Dalek continued to move unsteadily towards Sebastian, as if his mere existence was enough to infuriate it - which was precisely the case. A puff of smoke arose from somewhere, followed by an acrid smell. The front casing of the Dalek popped open, exposing the Kaled within along with a rush of viscous material and more smoke. There was some type of chemical fire or other major damage occurring inside of the shell, how it happened the Renegade did not know. But only something immediately life threatening, other than faulty controls, would prompt it to expose itself in such a way. It was a foul, warped and misshapen thing and it would certainly not live long without its protection. Tentacles waved weakly, curling and uncurling like tiny fists of fury, even now wishing death to all that was living.

[Jonah Caine]

"It won't work in here," he called out over the noise of the Dalek. "Your gun, I mean. The good news is that he's equally useless, if significantly louder and more irritating...it's not completely harmless, it a Dalek, but at least it it can't shoot you in my ship. And you can't shoot it," he explained, trying to ground Sebastian in what was going on.

Wildly, Sebastian tried a few more times to pull the trigger, with the same lack of result. “What do you mean, my gun won't work in here?” he shouted. “What have you done?  Are you insane?”

Agile and athletic, he dived out of the way of the oncoming Dalek at the last moment, before it could touch him. “What am I saying?” he continued furiously, as the Dalek swung around and went for him again. “Of course you're insane! Maybe you wouldn't mind telling me how I'm supposed to stop it electrocuting me to death, if I can't use my gun?”

"I'll try to get rid of it, if you can all just move away from it," [the War Doctor] said.

“What does it look like I'm trying to do!” Sebastian retorted, dodging swiftly out of the Dalek's path again.

"Jonah, can you help them, especially anyone wounded, clear out to the room with the rest of the evacuees, once they're away from the Dalek?"

Alarmed, his eyes as wide as saucers, Jonah did what he was asked, trying to shepherd Sebastian's men to safety through the inner door, back to where the other refugees were already sheltering. The soldiers helped him to drag Mark Shaw clear, shifting him into the other room, where they found to their joy that although severely wounded, his heart was still beating.  However, after that, none of them would move, refusing to leave while their leader was in danger, even though some of them could barely stand. They merely waited in a loose semi-circle, their useless weapons still raised, poised to do whatever they could to help Sebastian.

For its own part, the Dalek continued to move unsteadily towards Sebastian, as if his mere existence was enough to infuriate it - which was precisely the case. A puff of smoke arose from somewhere, followed by an acrid smell. The front casing of the Dalek popped open, exposing the Kaled within along with a rush of viscous material and more smoke... It was a foul, warped and misshapen thing and it would certainly not live long without its protection. Tentacles waved weakly, curling and uncurling like tiny fists of fury, even now wishing death to all that was living.

Sebastian froze at the grotesque sight, his face a picture of shock. “That's it?” he managed to exclaim, through lips that were suddenly stiff with incredulity. “That thing is what we've been fighting?”