Haltrix switched the engines off and followed.
The Doctor turned the key, opened the door, let Haltrix run in first and then went inside, closing the door behind him.
In the console room Haltrix stood in awe of the church-like room as the lights grew brighter.
“Impressive, eh?” said the Doctor, darting around the console and turning switches.
“Not bad,” said Haltrix, staring up into the rafters.
“Not bad?” said the Doctor, slightly hurt.
“I’ve seen some fantastic technology in my time,” said Haltrix. “But this ranks as one for the top categories.”
“Lovely,” said the Doctor, pulling the dematerialisation lever. “I think I’m honoured.”
The ship shook and rocked as the central rotor rose and fell. The sound of the engines filled the room, grinding and groaning as the old time ship moved through the span between it’s current location and the Pythagoras.
Finally, the ship came to a halt with a loud, deep thump.
“Stay here,” said the Doctor to Haltrix. “I’ll go get the kids.”
The Doctor stepped outside the TARDIS and smiled, patting the box as he closed the door. He had landed right next to the ship.
He ran into the airlock, through the corridors and skidded into the canteen where the group of children were cowering behind the tables that had been set up to act like a barrier.
One of the older children, Jack, stood up, armed with a wooden stick.
“Easy. Easy,” said the Doctor. “It’s just me.”
“Oh, sir, thank goodness,” said Jack, relaxing. “It’s alright you lot. It’s the Doctor.”
“How do we know we can trust him?” came Marcus’s voice.
“Because,” came an adult, male voice, “he’s the only one who can save us.”
The Doctor looked as a thin, Asian man, covered in bruises and scratches emerged from behind the group of children. He walked with a slight limp and held his blood soaked right arm. His clothing was torn to shreds.
“Hideo!” exclaimed the Doctor. “I thought Doomclaw’s dogs had killed you.”
Hideo smiled wearily. “They almost did, but then you all went off on that mission of theirs. They left me. I managed to escape and got back here. I didn’t think I’d make it.”
“Mr Sanada’s been protecting us,” said Jack.
“So far we’ve not had any problems,” said Hideo, sitting himself down on a chair. “What’s going on?”
“There’s no time for sitting,” said the Doctor, stopping Hideo before he could sit down. “Everything’s about to go…well, GO!”
“What do you mean?”
“No time to explain now. You all need to come with me to my ship. It’s not safe here.”
“But-” started Jack.
“No, Jack. We have to go now. Get what you need and then follow me.”
The kids stood with blank looks on their faces.
“Come on!” said the Doctor, clapping his hands.
What followed was two minutes of frantic scrambling for bags, small items and personal possessions. Finally, when they were all gathered, the Doctor led them towards the airlock.
In the generator room Blackmore and Annie still hadn‘t gotten through the panel.
“You’d have thought the General would have given us some clues as to what the code was for this.”
Annie shook her head. “I don’t think anyone knows the code.”
“So what are we meant to do? He must have had a plan. He must have know that this was going to happen.”
Annie looked at the screen. They could now hear banging as the squad attempted to break down the door.
“We need a miracle here,” said Blackmore.
“Maybe we should blow it open,” suggested Annie.
“And destroy the circuit inside? No. We need that circuit. We can’t risk damaging it.”
“What choice do we have?” the banging was getting louder and more intense.
Blackmore stood looking at the panel for a moment and then he closed his eyes, nodding. “Do it.”
Annie looked at the screen. “Just give it a few more minutes, though.”
“What? Why?”
“The children.”
“Oh, for goodness sake,” snapped Blackmore. “They’re out of time. Maybe they’re already here. We need to get this circuit out now. Once those animals come in they’ll cut us down like we’re the dogs.”
“Magnus, we just need time.”
“Hand me the gun.”
“Not yet, Magnus,” said Annie, holding the large gun tightly.
“I’m not going to tell you again,” said Blackmore, his eyes staring straight into Annie’s. “The Doctor was given a chance. If he didn’t get their in time then it’s his own fault.”
“I can’t let you. Not yet.”
“Give me the sodding gun, Annie!” growled Blackmore.
“No!” shouted Annie.
Blackmore went for her. He pushed her back and pinned her up against the wall.
“You will give me that gun,” he said, wrestling with her arms. Eventually she let out a cry of pain as he twisted her wrist and she released the weapon.
Blackmore turned to fire it, but before he could Annie leapt in front of the panel, arms outstretched and blocking the way.
“Move,” said Blackmore bluntly.
“No. We have to give those kids more time,” she said, desperation on her face and holding her arm in pain.
“We work for the Eyeglass, not some children’s society.”
“We work to better the Human race. How is this bettering the Human race?”
“I’ll give you till the count of three.”
“There are lines we can’t cross.”
“One.”
“The children. They’re precious. They’re our future. We can’t destroy them.”
“Two.”
“Please, Magnus. Nothing is worth this. Nothing.”
“You should have thought about that before getting involved with the General!”
“Then you’re a lost cause.”
“And you’re a dead cause. Three!”
Blackmore pulled the trigger and Annie cried out. A bolt of energy erupted from the barrel, striking Annie full-on in her abdomen. Sparks flew through her and behind her as the young woman was momentarily pinned against the wall by the energy from the gun. Then there was a explosion from behind her and she fell away, her top blackened and charred.
Blackmore stood there for a second, sweat dripping off his face. He felt cold and he felt different. He had gone beyond what he ever thought he was capable of.
He turned and knelt down beside the lifeless body of Annie, her blue eyes looking up blankly.
“Do you know what the Eyeglass are to me, Annie?” he said, crouched over her. “They are all I have ever wanted. Ever since my father failed to live up to what being a father should be. Ever since he made me read those stories. He was thrown out of the Eyeglass for being a bad operative. For being weak, like you. He made me promise to never be like him. Nothing is going to stop me.”
He kissed the palm of his hand and then touched it onto her forehead. He then closed her eyes and reached into the shattered, glass panel. He looked at the chip. It was a little blackened, but mostly intact. He smiled and pulled it from it’s socket.
The children were almost in the TARDIS when there was a huge roar of thunder that seemed to come from everywhere at the same time. The ground started shaking and the Doctor and Hideo fell to the ground.
“What the hell’s that?” asked Hideo, trying to clamber back up.
“They’ve switched the generator’s off,” said the Doctor. “Look!”
He pointed to the landscape around them. It was starting to distort and twist out of shape. The air was shimmering all around them and things were blurring out of focus.
“We’ve gotta go,” said Hideo, helping the Doctor up.
The rest of the children ran into the TARDIS just as the ground gave way. The Doctor fell to his knees just outside the doors of the police box and for a moment he seemed to be in a trance.
Hideo was knelt down in front of him, half in and half out of the ship.
The Doctor couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, but was aware of a figure on the horizon. A figure dressed in black. It seemed to be floating towards him, it’s arm outstretched. There was a pained cry from the figure and the Doctor felt a twinge of pain in his chest.
And then nothing.
Hideo grabbed him and pulled him inside the ship as the land around them twisted and broke up.
The Pythagoras, unable to survive the phasing of the Shroud exploded, showering the police box with flames and shards of metal.
There was another loud noise and the landscape completely disintegrated into whiteness. Then, slowly the whiteness faded and the police box was now standing in a new environment. Lush blue trees surrounded the box and a lake of silver water ran just by it’s side.
This was the real Trixatin.
Daniel, Tointon and Caroline emerged from the doors of the science building and looked around them. It was raining. Nothing had changed, but the savage dogs had stopped fighting. They had fallen to their knees and were whimpering.
“What’s wrong with them?” asked Danny.
“They’re crying,” said Caroline, crossing over to the one known as Jawlock.
“For heavens sake, woman, be careful,” said Tointon, pulled Danny back slightly.
“Where’s it gone?” came a growl.
Caroline span around to see Doomclaw emerging from an alleyway. She backed away.
“Where’s it gone?” he asked again.
“Where’s what gone?” asked Caroline nervously.
“Our land. Our home,” he whimpered.
“Oh my god,” said Caroline, putting her hand to her mouth. “Blackmore must of shut down the generator.”
“Then where’s the Doctor and the kids?” asked Danny.
Suddenly the air seemed to come alive. A patch of rain suddenly started to fall in a spiralling pattern as the blue coloured TARDIS faded into view.
“Thank god!” said Caroline as the box solidified and Hideo stepped out, followed by the children and lastly, a weary looking Doctor.
“He shut the Shroud down,” said the Doctor. “We were nearly caught in it.”
“How come the TARDIS wasn’t affected?” asked Caroline.
“It’s a tough old thing. This old girl can go through time and space, so a little bit of primitive alien tech isn’t gonna hurt it,” he said, glancing and smiling at Haltrix.
He nodded back sarcastically.
“Where’s it gone?” growled Doomclaw, launching himself at Haltrix.
“Your world has gone,” said Haltrix. “You must learn to live without it.”
“Of course!” said the Doctor. “They had grown attached to the savage lands. Connected to it. Now it’s gone…”
“They’re feeling it,” said Danny. “So what happens now?”
“They have a long way to go,” said the Doctor. “Villa’s a broken woman, there are many people dead and there’s a big hole in your Shroud.”
“What do we do, Doctor?” asked Haltrix.
“You close the rest of the Shroud down. Save the rest of your people and find a way to live in peace.”
“You can help us with that,” said Haltrix optimistically.
“No. That’s something only you can do. I’m happy to have set the wheels in motion, but that’s it for me.”
“But they must answer for their crimes,” said Haltrix, pointing at Doomclaw and Jawlock.
“I think you all can be accused of crimes of some form or other,” said the Doctor darkly. “But I will give you this piece of advice - learn to accept who you are, work through your problems and don’t just lock them away. Oh, and stop being so private all the time. This is a beautiful world. You could benefit from a few visitors.”
Haltrix smiled as he put a claw on Doomclaw’s shoulder.
“This is our planet as well,” whimpered Doomclaw.
Haltrix smiled sadly. “It is.”
Breaking the silence was a huge blast of energy from one of the buildings. Blackmore emerged from the doors holding his gun and blasting at Trixatins as he went. He was covered in blood as he gunned down the last of the squad which had tried to stop him in the corridors
“He’s got the circuit,” said Caroline.
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