FIC: How Martha Jones Saved the World (and so forth) (3/probably 4)

[lizbee]

Title: How Martha Jones Saved the World and Lucy Saxon Initiated Divorce Proceedings With Extreme Prejudice (3/4?)
Rated: PG-13
Characters: Martha Jones and various others.
Spoilers: "Human Nature", "The Family of Blood", "Utopia", "The Sound of Drums", tinhatty spec for "Last of the Time Lords"...
Notes: THE PLOT THICKENS!  Like one of those tinned stews, initially delicious but ultimately unsatisfying.

How Martha Jones Saved the World and Lucy Saxon Initiated Divorce Proceedings With Extreme Prejudice
by LizBee

Three

"Are you having fun?" Saxon asked.  "Playing tin soldiers with UNIT?  Oh Martha, I know all about you.  Your location, your allies ... your weaknesses."

Professor Shaw was silently dismissing her staff from the room.  Captain Benton appeared by Martha's side, gesturing for her to continue the conversation.  He held a recorder in his hand, and one of his men was setting up a laptop.

"Go on, then," said Martha, trying to sound light.  "Tell me about my weaknesses."

Saxon chuckled.  "Oh, Martha.  I'm not sure I have the time for that."

"Aren't cheap shots sort of beneath you?"

"Apparently not.  But we were discussing your flaws.  A desire to please, to make peace, to make people happy.  And that, Martha, that is arrogance, thinking you can control people like that.  But I expect you've never thought of it that way.  You're the eager middle child trying to make her parents proud and compensate for her flighty older sister and look out for her little brother all at once.  How am I doing so far?"

"It's like you were a fly on the wall in the school counsellor's office."

"Nah, just read her files.  Oh!  But then, Martha, and did you know that name means 'mistress'?  Something for you to contemplate, possibly in your dying moments as the Toclafane take control of your mind -- you became a doctor, because you're still an arrogant child, and you still think you should have the power of life and death and pain and happiness.  Is that right?  Strip away all the noble sentiments, Martha, and a doctor is just a petty kind of god."

"Are you sure you're not just projecting your own prejudices?"

"Oooh, good point.  And speaking of which, aren't you just desperate to know what I've done to the Doctor?  Or," he added, when she didn't respond immediately, "has handsome Jack captured your single human heart?"

"Is my family all right?" Martha whispered.

"Is that true concern, or guilt?"

"Guilt?"

"Well, it's your fault they're up here ... imprisoned ... humiliated.  If you'd listened to your mother and abandoned the Doctor -- but I knew you'd choose him over your family.  I'd seen the future.  And the only thing more certain than history is the determination of a human to have what they've been told is forbidden."

"Tell me," said Martha through gritted teeth, "is my family all right?"

"Better up here than down there."

"And," her voice cracked, "the Doctor?"

"Oh, as well as can be expected.  Sad, really, the way age slows a man down.  And the mind goes, of course.  Tragic, but what can you do?"  Saxon paused.  "Are you going to say, 'You'll never get away with this' or anything along those lines?"

"Should I?"

"I don't know.  It's appropriate, of course, but so cliche."

"You must be great to watch movies with."

"Just ask my wife."

"Maybe I will," said Martha.  She glanced at Benton, who nodded slightly, and without another word, hit the button to end it.

Slowly, she leaned forward and rested her head on her knees.  Her hands were shaking, and she knew she needed to move, but she didn't think her legs would support her weight.

"Martha?"

Benton squeezed her shoulder, and she looked up.  "I'm okay," she said, "or I will be.  Just give me a minute."  She concentrated on breathing, in and out, and on the warm weight of Benton's hands on her shoulders.  He was giving orders, but he didn't let go of her.  Not once.

When she was back on her feet he said, diffidently, "We're leading a raid on the Valiant in four hours' time."

"Yes?"

"Officially, no civilians are involved, but ... well, it's an open secret that McShane's going to be there.  You have a vortex manipulator of your own, so..."

"No one could stop me?" she asked.

"I'm telling you this off the record," Benton said.  "McShane has years of experience, but you're not even a recruit.  If you get into trouble, we might not be able to help you."

"Then why are you telling me?"

"Because I know how much the Doctor means to the people who work with him.  I've never met him, but I grew up with stories -- and he'll need you.  And he'll need all the allies he can get against the Master."

Martha smiled, reaching impulsively for his hand.  "Thank you," she said.  "Thank you so much."  Her hug took him by surprise -- he stiffened -- it took her by surprise, too, but he wrapped his arms around her, and for a few seconds, everything was almost normal.

"Talk to Ace," he said, releasing her.  "She'll give you a crash course in weapons and vortex manipulators and all the rest of it.  And then get some rest -- that's an order."

"Yes sir," she said, and she was on the verge of telling him how much this really meant, about the watch she was carrying and everything else -- when there was a high pitched shrieking noise behind them.  Benton swung around, just as the Toclafane mutant rose into the air, its transparent shell gleaming into the light.

"Plans and strategies," it said in its child-voice, "and they never thought to include us."

"No!" Martha shrieked, but it was too late -- guards were bursting in, and Professor Shaw, but they were all too late.  The creature had launched itself at Benton, a needle-sharp point appearing in the centre of its shell.  It pierced its skin and he screamed, the skin around the injury turning grey and sickly.  He spasmed once, twice, reaching out to Martha as she knelt beside him.  Then he became still.

"Is he dead?" someone asked.

"I think it's a coma," she said.  His pulse was slow and thready beneath her fingers.  "I need--"

"Medics are on their way," said Professor Shaw, helping Martha to her feet.  "As long as he's stable -- this might give us our first step in finding a cure."  She looked down at Benton, and shook her head sadly.  "If not -- after all this, someone will have to tell his father."

She led Martha from the room without another word.

*

"It's simple, really," said Ace.  "You point, aim and shoot."

"Or in my case," said Martha ruefully, "miss."

"Can't miss.  Not with this thing.  I mean, you'll hit something.  Hopefully what you were aiming at."  Martha's face must have betrayed her hesitation, because Ace added, "look, if things get so bad you're going to use it, then you'll probably be seconds away from capture anyway.  If you're lucky."

"Gee.  Thanks."

"Don't worry.  I'll be with you the whole time, so if anything goes that wrong, I'll be dead first."  Ace gave her a grim smile.  "Look, do you want to go in with your eyes open, or hope for the best and get a nasty surprise later?"

"Eyes open," said Martha.  "Always."

"Good.  So take aim again..."

*

"Help you, miss?"

Martha looked up -- a long way up -- into the cool eyes of a guard.  "I wanted to visit Benton," she said.  "Just to ... you know.  Sit."

The guard shook his head.  "Can't do it," he said.  "We have strict orders to keep the captain -- I mean, the patient -- secluded.  Only armed UNIT personnel have access, sorry."

"Is he still unconscious?"

The guard hesitated.  "No, miss," he said at last.  "He's not himself at all."

"Oh," she said.  "I'm ... I'm sorry."

"Thank you," he said.  "Thanks."

Martha turned away, wrapping her arms around herself to keep from shaking.  Her eyes were dry and her jaw was set.  This, she thought distantly, was probably how it felt to be murderous.  Not rage, but peace.

Fine.  She was a doctor, a healer, and life was precious to her.  And the Master was a cancer.

It was, she thought, leaning against a windowsill, really very simple.

"Martha?"

She hadn't heard Jo approach, and it took her a moment to gather her thoughts and rearrange them into something suitable for sharing.

"Are you okay, Martha?"

"Fine," she said, quickly.  "I just tried to visit Captain Benton, but they wouldn't let me in."

"Me neither," said Jo.  "I've tried to reach his family, but ... there's no answer."

"This can't go on."

"No.  It really can't."  Jo joined Martha at the window.  "Will you be going up there?"

"Try and keep me away."

"The Brigadier-General will, if she finds out.  But I won't be the one to tell her."  Jo leaned her head against the glass and closed her eyes.  "It's funny, you know," she said, "you can leave ... get married, have kids ... but you never forget him.  In twenty years time, this might be you standing here, giving advice to someone.  As they prepare to go and save the Doctor."

"If I'm lucky."

"But you are, Martha."  Jo looked up and squeezed her hand.  "You are."

*

With twenty minutes to go, Martha sat down to write a letter.

It took three goes, and was nearly illegible by the end.  She wasn't sure who she was writing for, her family or the Doctor, or someone else entirely.  But there it was, an explanation.  If she died, at least someone would understand why.

In the end, she left it on Sarah's desk.

Ace found her a few minutes later.

"Ready?" she said.

"I suppose."

"The soldiers are flying out," said Ace, "but we'll be a lot quicker.  I plan to use our headstart for a bit of sabotage.  See how much damage we can do to the Master before he knows where we are."

Martha smiled.

"Sounds like fun," she said.

*

They arrived five minutes earlier, deep in the bowels of the Valiant.  Martha reeled, not just from the journey, but from the sudden heat. 

"It wasn't like this before," she said quietly.

Ace sniffed.  "Ozone," she said.  "Either UNIT contracted this out to some really shoddy workmen, or someone's been engaging in a bit of sabotage.  How's your head?"

"Better," said Martha. 

"Good.  Let's go.  I want a look at the Master's paradox machine."

The Valiant was humming with energy, and they occasionally had to dodge sparks from faulty electical panels.  Ace took in all of this with approval. 

They were less keen about the roving packs of guards, all heavily armed.  Twice, they narrowly escaped capture; only the heavy tread of the guards' boots on the metal floor warned them of the danger.  Worse were the men who traveled alone, moving silently through the thick clouds of gas and smoke that obscured the air.  Once they were seen, but Ace had raised and fired her weapon before Martha could even register the danger.  The man collapsed into a heap.

"Is he dead?" Martha whispered.

"Stunned," said Ace.  "He'll be out for about five hours."  She was rifling through his pockets, extracting communicators, weapons and a small wrist computer that projected a holographic map of the Valiant.  "Nice," she said.  "Good to see Saxon spent the Defence budget wisely.  Help me tie this one up, we'll toss him into a storage cupboard."

"Poor guy," said Martha as they moved him.  "He's just doing his job.  Probably hypnotised like everyone else."

"Or worse," said Ace.  She put him down and pointed to a puncture wound on his neck.  "Does that look like a mosquito bite to you?"

"Toclafane," said Martha.  "Or Time Lord.  Or something."

"Come on.  We don't have much time."

*

All the corridors looked alike, and Martha's sense of direction was confused, but they heard the TARDIS before they saw it.  That ominous drone, like a bell striking midnight.  And then they finally found it, the windows were dark and cracked.  Martha pulled her key -- just a key, now -- from her pocket, and they went inside.

Ace swore as she stopped into the TARDIS.  Martha had no words.  The console room was mere wreckage, scrap metal and melted plastic and shards of what looked like bone. 

"He's going to pay for this," said Ace.  Martha nodded.

In the centre, where the console itself had once stood, was the paradox machine, or what remained of it.  Martha couldn't imagine anything outlasting the explosion that had obviously taken place, but a row of lights were still flickering, and the gauge held steady at just above zero.

"Can you fix it?" Martha asked.  "Could we undo ... everything?"

"I don't know," said Ace.  "You'd need a temporal engineer, and I'm just a tinkerer.  I'm not sure even the Doctor could fix this."

Martha's fingers grazed the watch in her pocket.  It whispered, Triple first and they always said she was the most brilliant mind...

"Come on, then," she said.  "Stage two."

*

They didn't get two steps beyond the TARDIS before a voice shouted, "Freeze!" at the same time as another voice said, "Wait, no!  Martha!"

She fell into her father's arms and for a second, engulfed in his bulk, she was ten years old again, and the world was absolutely safe because she had Clive Jones to protect her.  Only when she was ten, neither of them had been armed.

"Martha," he said, "thank God."

"Dad.  Oh, Dad."

"Harkness?"

"McShane?"  Jack looked himself, apart from the dirt, the bruises and the welts on his wrists.  It was the flirtatious smile that did it, and the way he was regarding Ace, like a drowning man who had just been rescued by a heavily armed sea goddess.

"Who else?  God, Jack, must be years."

"A few centuries.  Subjectively speaking."

"Dad," said Martha, "what's happening.  Where's Mum and Tish?"

"Your mother's with UNIT," he said quietly.  "A few people escaped, started letting everyone else out -- we'll meet at the prime minister's plane.  Martha, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Dad, I'm fine.  What about Tish?"

"Right here," her sister whispered behind her.  She smiled as Martha jumped.  "Soldiers, Dad, on the level above us.  We've got five minutes."

"Right," said Jack.  "Let's keep moving.  Martha, I'll get your family out, then I'll be back."

"You'll be killed!" said Tish.

"Not one of my concerns," said Jack shortly. 

"Come with us, Martha," said her father.

"I can't, Dad.  I can't.  Tish," she turned to her sister, "Mrs Saxon.  Where do you think she might be?"

"Are you mad?" Tish said, "because she is, I can tell you that.  And she's human, so I don't know what her excuse is--"

"I'll explain later," Martha snapped.  "And there will be a later, so don't try to argue.  Where does she go?  Is she still with Saxon, do you think, or might she be alone?"

"She likes views from high places," said Tish slowly, "and if she's not with the prime minister -- I mean -- you know -- she's probably in one of the big conference rooms with the picture windows."

"Good," said Martha.  "Now go!"

She wanted to stay until she was sure they were safe, but Ace pulled her behind a bulkhead, just as a squad of soldiers marched down the corridor.

"Conference room?" Martha asked when they were gone.

Ace consulted the map.  "This way," she said.

*

The Valiant had no less than six conference rooms.  Under the circumstances, Martha thought that was a bit unfair.  Especially since they were all on the top decks, and while there were fewer roaming packs of guards, it was a lot harder to blend in.  Ace stunned four soldiers.  The storage cupboards were beginning to get a bit crowded.  Martha was beginning to get a bit punchy.

They found Lucy Saxon in the third conference room.  She was alone, thank God, sitting at the long, polished table, staring into space.  She didn't move as they entered, or when Ace closed and locked the doors behind them.  She didn't even blink until Martha sat down heavily in the chair beside her. 

"Mrs Saxon?" Martha said.

"Harry will have you killed, you know," she said quietly.  "It was terribly silly, coming back here.  He will kill you."  She smiled a little.  "I expect it will be unpleasant."

"I came to give you this," said Martha.  She dropped the pocket-watch on the table, letting the chain pour through her fingers.

"That?"  Lucy giggled.  "What would I want with that?"

"It's yours."

"It was my father's.  My real father's, I mean.  Daddy wore it.  It meant something to him, I suppose."  She regarded it without interest.  "He wanted Harry to have it, but my mother refused to allow it."  A faint grimace crossed her face.  "Mummy always had some funny ideas."

"Have you ever opened it?" Martha asked.

"Don't be silly.  It's broken."

With a twinge of deja vu, Martha said, "How do you know?  If you've never opened it?"

Lucy's hands strayed towards the watch.

Martha stood up and walked over to the window.  She could see Lucy in the reflection, examining the watch, turning it over in her hands. 

"Well?" said Ace, joining her by the window.

"Wait," said Martha.

There was a soft, metallic click behind them.  Lucy gasped.  Martha turned, just in time to see the fine golden threads of energy radiating outwards from the watch.  Lucy stood up, leaning on the table for support.  Her eyes were wide.

"Oh," she said softly.  "Oh."

She stared at the empty watch in her hand.

"Are you all right?" Martha asked quietly.

Romana looked up.

"I'm going to kill him," she said, drawing herself up to her full height.  "No.  Wait.  On second thoughts, I'm going to kill both of them.  Several times each."



to be continued

Comments

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

Yes! Yes! Yes! *dances madly and punches the air*

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!

[ladymako71.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Go Romana!!

[jennawaterford.livejournal.com]

This is fantastic! Or, as you would say (and I'm personally trying to get into the North American lexicon), it is made of awesome.

[fannishnonsense]

Yay! Now we'll see something!

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

"No. Wait. On second thoughts, I'm going to kill both of them. Several times each."

*cheers*

[purple-smurf.livejournal.com]

*dances with glee* FTW!

[weaverandom.livejournal.com]

ROMANA.

[tellitslant]

:D :D :D :D

ALSO, :D

*taps foot*

[karnythia.livejournal.com]

You're a terrible tease.

Re: *taps foot*

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I'M WRITING AS FAST AS I CAN!

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Lovely, *lovely*. And so many splendid turns of phrase:

like a drowning man who had just been rescued by a heavily armed sea goddess.

In twenty years time, this might be you standing here, giving advice to someone. As they prepare to go and save the Doctor."

And the fierce true Romana at the end. Just wow.

[kerravonsen]

(grin) Yes!
(needs Romana and/or Martha icon, darn it!)

Next part, next part, next part! Pleeeeese?

[isweedan]

ROMANA! *flails* Oh how I love her.
And? When Martha said "I'll explain later" I definitly had a bit of a Curse of the Fatal Death giggle.
I really hope that Benton's alright, er, both Bentons.
I'm glad you're having such fun writing this because I'm having loads of fun reading it. Much Much Love.

[mousagetes.livejournal.com]

"I'm going to kill him," she said, drawing herself up to her full height. "No. Wait. On second thoughts, I'm going to kill both of them. Several times each."

!!! Hurting a bit for Romana, but I'm loving this. Great use of Ace, and Jo and Sarah and all the rest.

[themolesmother.livejournal.com]

Wonderful.

More, soon. Please!!!

MM

[vaznetti]

Eeeeee!!!!

[cedara]

"I'm going to kill him," she said, drawing herself up to her full height. "No. Wait. On second thoughts, I'm going to kill both of them. Several times each."

*snickers*

YAY!

[rimwalker.livejournal.com]

*feels something akin to a religious ecstasy*

Hallelujah!

[ellen-fremedon.livejournal.com]

*flails happily*

Yay angry Romana! Yay Ace and Jack! Yay Jo! Yay everyone!

[lcsbanana.livejournal.com]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

this is the best story ever :D :D :D :D :D

[calapine.livejournal.com]

DUDE! And Ace/Jack! And Jo making me teary! And POOR BENTON! And ACE IS WIN! AND MARTHA!

Quite.

[lilibel.livejournal.com]

Come on come on baby, here comes the sound of drums, the sound of drums.

I read this chapter while bouncing to the music.

WooT
Can't wait to read the lsat chapter =D

[aligoestonz.livejournal.com]

Love it!

(http://pics.livejournal.com/aligoestonz/pic/0000559p/)

(sorry, been spending too much time on ihasatardis)

[tree_and_leaf]

Hurrah!

[sparks-for-sale.livejournal.com]

this is so full of win and awesome and glee-inducing fantasticification that it's causing me to make up new words!

kasdfj;aklshdfk;jhdkjromana!!!

plus, I love that Jack and Ace know each other -- plot bunnies are shagging like captain jack harkness in my brain and I don't even write so mainly I'm just grinning madly and possibly quite frighteningly.

but mainly ROMANA!!

[medie]

oh god this is perfect! *happy flail*

[fyrdrakken]

YAAAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!

[my_daroga]

Yay! Glad I stayed up to read. I like the bit about murderous peace.

And, of course, the expected transformation. Yum.

Romana Time

[syreene.livejournal.com]

Hah hah...I can just imagine her kicking everybody's ass!

[snorkackcatcher]

Still terrific. :)

PS -- hope you don't mind, but I friended you? I was reading some of your recent posts and think I could love you merely for the phrase 'the assorted bling of Rassilon'. :)

[tptigger.livejournal.com]

*bounces*
This rocks.

Better than the finale.

Which I didn't mind so much as a lot of people. Until the subtext was pointed out, at least. :)

Of course, everything's better with Ace and Romana. (-8 (And Sarah Jane Smith is the icing on the cake...)