Quotes taken from: The Sontaran Stratagem

-Chapter 12-

"So this ATMOS thing, where did it come from?" the Doctor asked following Colonel Mace. Rose Donna and Martha had gone off somewhere else. He would rather be with Rose and making up but she was still a bit upset with him and insisted on staying back. He would have to fix that. Later of course.

"Luke Rattigan himself."

"And himself would be...?"

"Here" the Colonel said pulling up a profile on a computer. "Child genius. Invented the Fountain 6 search engine when he was 12 years old. Millionaire over night. Now runs the Rattigan Academy. Private School, educating students handpicked from all over the world."

"Hothouse for geniuses, wouldn't mind going there." the colonel looked at him oddly. "I get lonely."

"And Miss Tyler?"

"What about Rose?"

Mace raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me sir, but are you two not together? My wife and I fight just like you two. It's normal by the way." he said and turned back to the computer.

"Right, yeah we are." the Doctor said sticking his hands in his pockets. It wasn't normal for them. He hated it but he didn't know how to fix it. What he wanted was for Rose to be with him here now so he could at least try.

Martha and Rose were looking threw papers and files and Donna pulled up a chair to join them.

"Rose, is everything ok?" Martha asked.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, everythin's fine." Rose told her not looking up from the file she was reading.

"Do you think I should warn my mum? About the ATMOS in her car?" Donna asked suddenly.

"Better safe than sorry." Martha said.

"Martha's right, you should." Rose said.

"I'll give her a call." Donna said and stepped off to the side.

Martha looked at Rose seriously. "Rose we spent most of a year together, I think I can tell when you're lying."

Rise sighed. "Yeah. I know."

"Rose, haven't things been good? For you and him?"

"Yeah, yeah they really have. Really, really good actually." Rose said and grinned.

Martha's mouth fell open slightly then she grinned too. "Not marriage…oh! Oh I knew it would happen eventually! But Rose, why do you look so..." She couldn't find a word to describe it.

"I know. It just, most of the time, it's wonderful and brilliant and everything is great, really, really great. But sometimes he goes and turns around and treats me like I'm a kid. And then he does stuff like he did before and tries to...I dunno, keeps me separate from the rest and tries to protect me from everything!"

Martha nodded. "You know he only does that because he's not used to this. Not used to what it's like actually being with someone. And now that he is, and he loves you so much, he doesn't know what to do."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"I am. You just have to..."

"Help him?" Rose said grinning slightly.

Martha chuckled and nodded. "Exactly. I've never seen anything like the two of you. I know things are going to be amazing for you."

Rose smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Me too."

Donna came back over and put her phone in her pocket. "Well she thinks I'm insane, but what else is new?"

"Donna, do they know where you are? You're family. I mean that you're traveling with the Doctor and Rose?" Martha asked suddenly.

"Not really...but my granddad sorta waved is off. I didn't have time to explain."

"You just left him behind?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't tell my family either. Kept it all so secret. And it almost destroyed them." Martha told her. Rose bit her lip.

"In what way?"

"They ended up imprisoned. They were tortured. My mom, my dad, my sister. It wasn't the Doctors fault...but you need to be careful. And Rose's family..."

"What about your family?" Donna asked Rose.

"Well yeah that's a bit different, but not by much I suppose. They're all in a parallel world. That's why it took me so long to get back." Rose admitted.

"You know the Doctor, he wonderful. He's brilliant. But he's like fire. Stand too close and people get burnt." Martha concluded.

"You are not coming with me! I want to talk to Luke, not point a gun at him." the Doctor said walking with Mace.

"It's ten miles outside London, how will you get there?"

"Well, then get me a jeep!"

"According to our records you travel by TARDIS. "

"Yes but if there's a danger of hostile aliens, I think it's best to keep the super duper time machine away from the front lines." The Doctor said, as if he were talking to an idiot. Maybe he was a bit prejudiced, but that didn't excuse Rose from yelling and walking off. Even though he might have done a bit of the same…

"I see. Jenkins!" Mace called.

"Sir!" Jenkins said saluting him.

"You will accompany the Doctor and follow his orders."

"Yeah I don't do orders." the Doctor said.

"Any sign of trouble get Jenkins to declare Code Red. Good luck sir." he said and saluted.

"I said no salutes." the Doctor added.

"Now you're giving orders." Mace said smirking slightly.

"Oh you're a bit cheeky you are!" the Doctor said and the colonel walked away.

"Doctor!" Donna called rushing up to him. Rose wasn't with her. "I've been thinking...I'm sorry. I'm going home." she said catching up to him.

"Really?" the Doctor asked hiding his slightly hurt feelings.

"I've got to."

He sighed but nodded. "Well if that's what you want. I mean it's a bit soon, there's so many places I wanted to take you. The Fifteenth broken moon of the Medusa Cascade, Lightning Skies of Cotter Palluni's World, Diamond Coral reefs...Thank you. Thank you Donna Noble. You saved my life in so many ways when I first met you. You're...you're just popping in for a visit, that's what you mean." the Doctor finished after seeing the look on her face.

"You dumbo!" she laughed.

"And then you're coming back." he realized.

"Know what you are? A great big outer space dunce!"

"Yeah." he admitted following Jenkins to a jeep.

"Ready when you are sir." Jenkins called.

"What's more you can give me a lift. Come on!" she said climbing into the jeep. "Broken moon of what?" she teased.

"I know, I know."

Martha and Rose were in a smaller room, checking ATMOS workers.

"You could have gone with her you know. No doubt they'll run off someplace." Martha said smiling slightly.

"I know. I just...wanted to stay with you." Rose said handing her a stethoscope.

"Yeah sure that may be a part of it, but you're avoiding the problem."

"I am not!" Rose protested half heartedly.

Martha just smirked. "Ok I need to listen to your heart beat. This might be a but cold." she said to the worker. "Lift."

When she listened to it was beating way to quickly for just sitting here. Much to quickly for having just ran too actually. "Are you on Amy medication?" she asked.

"I'm here to work." he replied.

"And how many hours is that?" Rose asked.

"24."

"You work 24 hours a day? Down." Martha said. "Mr. Trepor have you ever had any form of hypnosis?"

"I'm here to work." he repeated.

"Ok, um if you could just wait here then." Martha said and motioned to the door.

Rose followed and frowned slightly. "Martha, inveigh seen hypnosis, that wasn't it. That was like...I dunno. Like he was completely in control and he really thought that. His eyes weren't even dilated."

"Something is definitely up." Martha agreed as they walked down the hall.

"Doctor Jones, Miss Tyler." Private Harris called.

"Not now we're busy." Martha said as kindly as possible.

"Just a question, do you have security clearance level one?"

"Yes I do, why?"

"Colonel Mace wants to see you."

"Oh good cus I want to see him, where is he?"

"Wait, what does her clearance have to do with seeing the colonel?" Rose asked.

"He needs to see her, you can come as well, Miss Tyler."

"Um and how do you know my name?"

"We've all read the files about you. Now come with us please."

Rose looked at Martha and Martha just shrugged. "So where is he?"

"Just follow us, you'll need your card to get in."

"Actually I think I'm going to go catch up with the Doctor. See you in awhile yeah?" she said to Martha.

"Yeah, I'll phone if anything comes up." Martha said rolling her eyes. She knew Rose would go find him eventually.

"Doctor, are you really doing this?" Donna asked as they drove.

"What do you mean?"

"The Rose thing. The stupid fighting then huffing off because you're both to stubborn to let it go too quickly."

"I...I didn't do anything this time!"

Donna rolled her eyes. "You are! Do you really not see how you act sometimes? She's a grown woman Doctor, not a child."

"I think I know that, thanks." The Doctor said rolling his eyes dramatically.

"So stop treating her like she is!"

"I do not!"

Donna raised an eyebrow. "Right and the thing about the gun where you told her she was separate from everyone else and then tried to dismiss her, was treating her equal?"

"I...I didn't mean it that way." the admitted.

"Yeah I get that, but does she? How can she if you both walk off in separate directions, angry about nothing?" Thinking about it maybe he had tried to dismiss her...oh he was really an idiot. Worse than that. "Just make it up to her. I'm sure you can think of a way." she said and winked.

"Donna!" the Doctor said, shocked, but he didn't deny anything.

"I'll walk the rest of the way. I'll see you back at the factory yeah?"

"Bye!" the Doctor said as she hopped out and the jeep drove off.

Donna took in a deep breath as she started walking. Oh her mother would find some way to pin it to laziness or something like that. But when she was walking she thought about traveling with the Doctor. All their adventures ran threw her head.

Then she saw Wilfred. Granddad. He saw her and froze. She covered her mouth with her hand. Granddad, oh she had missed him. He was the only one in her life who accepted her no matter what, always. He waved at her to come over and she ran to him as fast as she could to hug him.

"What's he doing down here? Has he found something?" Martha asked as they walked down a deep corridor at the bottom of the Factory.

"He asked to see you." Harris said.

"Yeah but what for? What's in there?" Martha asked as she opened the door.

There was a massive vat of bubbling green stuff in the center. Martha turned and tried to leave but the men guarded the door and it closed.

"No!" Martha screamed.

"I said so didn't I? I said they were real. I just didn't expect them to come in a little blue box." Wilf said sitting at the kitchen table across from Donna.

"It's bigger on the inside." she said.

"Yeah alright, but is it safe? This...Doctor. Are you safe with him?" he asked and for a moment she didn't know what to say to that.

"He amazing Gramps. He's just...Dazzling! And don't tell him I said that."

"Never."Wilf agreed.

"But I'd trust him with my life." she admitted.

"Hold on. I thought that was my job!"

"You still come first."Donna said smiling.

"Well for god's sake don't tell your mother!"

"I dunno...I mean this is massive. Sort of not fair if she doesn't know."

"Doesn't know what? And where've you been these past few days, lady, after that silly little trick with the car keys? I phoned Veena and she said she hadn't seen hide nor hair. " her mum said and Donna rolled her eyes. Venna was just as bad as he mum.

"I've been traveling." She said simply.

"Oh, hark at her! Well are you staying for tea? I haven't got anything in. I've been trying to keep your granddad on that macrobiotic diet, but he sneaks off and gets pork pies at the petrol station." Her mum said, already on another topic.

Wilf blushed slightly. "Oi, I-I-I haven't…"

"Don't deny it, I've seen the wrappers in the car. Oh, I don't miss a trick. Now then, what were you gonna tell me? What don't I know?"

Donna looked at Wilf. His look warned her. Maybe he was right. Maybe her mum was better off in the dark…well knowing her mum that was probably best. "Nothing, just…nothing." She said giving her mum a small smile. Wilf beamed at her and winked. He mum turned back around again and didn't notice.

"Good. Right, then you can sit there and cut out those coupons. Every penny helps. This new mortgage doesn't pay for itself. Dad, kettle on."

The Doctor and Jenkins walk up to the Academy and Luke meets them. A bunch of random students jog past.

"Is that PE? I wouldn't mind a kick around, I've got my chaps on." the Doctor said grinning.

"You must be the Doctor." Luke said not so happily.

"Hello!"

"Your commanding officer phones ahead."

"Oh I haven't got a commanding officer. Have you?" he asked and Luck just stared but there was a hint of something behind his eyes. "Oh this is Ross, say hello Ross!"

"Afternoon sir." his phone started ringing. "Oh excuse me sirs." he said stepping a few feet back.

The Doctor nodded and rushed off to the entrance. "Let's have a look then, I can smell the genius! In a good way." Luke rolled his eyes and folded his arms over his chest. "Ph now! That's clever! Single molecule fabric. How this is that? Oh! Gravity simulators! Terraforming, biospheres, nano-tech steel conductors! Haha! This is brilliant!"

"Excuse me sir, Miss Tyler is less than two minutes away. She called to let us know."

"Miss? No. I don't think so." Luke said.

"What does that mean?" the Doctor asked not really paying attention. Why didn't Rose come before? Was she still upset with him? Oh that wouldn't be good, not at all.

"These students can't have distractions." Luke said evenly.

The Doctor laughed. "Have fun telling her that."

"Telling who what? What have I missed?" Rose said running up to them. Luke's eyes widened for a moment but then he cleared his throat and returned to normal. "Oh hello, I'm Rose Tyler. Nice to meet you, Mr. Rattigan right?" she said flashing her best smile. She knew spoiled rich genius types.

"Yes. Hello. Welcome to the Rattigan Academy." he said and shook her hand a bit awkwardly.

"I've heard a lot about your Academy. Most prestigious in England. Top five in the world. That is definitely saying something."

He smirked smugly. "Yes well I wanted to have only the best students here."

"That is so inspiring." Rose said. Pretending to be amazed. The doctor rolled his eyes. 'Inspiring' what was she talking about. He was much more inspiring. Why didn't she talk about him like that?

"Do you know with this technology, you could...oh I don't know, move to another planet." the Doctor said looking at an experiment and trying not to laugh. Although when Rose used that voice, and gave this kid that smile it made him...slightly jealous.

"If only that was possible."

"If only that we're possible. Conditional clause." the Doctor corrected and Luke sated him down, looking like he was about to hit the Doctor.

"I think you all better come with me." he said and they all followed but the Doctor and Rose slightly behind.

"What was that?" the Doctor whispered as quietly as possible.

Rose shrugged. "Don't know what you mean Doctor. The worker wasn't normal by the way. His heart was pumping way too fast and he acted like he was under hypnosis but it's something stronger. He really believes what he says, he's here to work. He doesn't say much else."

"You're smarter than the usual UNIT grunts I'll give you that." Luke said leading them to another room.

"He called you a grunt! Don't call Ross a grunt! He's nice. We like Ross. Look at this place..." the Doctor trailed off and started wandering off.

"What do you want?" Luke asked exasperated.

"He's always like that, don't take it personally. Doctor?" Rose said.

"I was just thinking, what a responsible eighteen year old. Inventing zero carbon car? Saving the world..."

"Takes a man with vision." Luke said smugly.

"Mmmm. Blinking vision. Cause ATMOS means more people driving cars, more cars, more petrol. End result, oils gonna run out faster than ever. The ATMOS system could make things worse."

"Yeah see that's a tautology. You can't say ATMOS system because it stands for atmospheric emissions system. So you're just saying system twice. D'you see, Mr. Conditional Clause?"

"It's been a long time since anyone's told you no, hasn't it?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm still right." he said and Rose rolled her eyes. Oh she really was starting to not like this kid.

"Not easy being clever is it? You look at the world and connect things, random things. And think, 'why can't everyone else see it?' The rest of the world is so slow."

"Yeah." Luke agreed.

"And you're all on your own." The Doctor added. Rose bit her lip. He was sympathizing with Luke. He knew what it felt like. Did he still feel like that…?

"I know."

"That's why you built this place. To find someone else just as good as you." Rose said softly. Luke gave her a look and he didn't have to agree out loud.

"But not with this! Cos there is no way you invented this single handedly. I mean it might be Earth technology, but that's like finding a mobile in the Middle Ages." The Doctor said chucking the thing at Ross. "No, I'll tell you what it's like it's like finding this in someone's front room. Albeit, it's a big front room." the Doctor said walking over to a massive pod in the corner.

"Oh no way. That is way out of your league. Even if you are a genius there is no way you invented that. It's impossible this early." Rose said shocked.

"You know what it is?" Luke asked shocked too that she even had a clue.

"Course Rose knows, she's clever, and so am I! Me, I make the connections too. And this to me, looks like a teleport pod." he said pressing a button. He winked at Rose and disappeared.

"Oh, I'm going to kill him." Rose said smirking.

"He really shouldn't have done that." Luke said worried.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Nope, but of course he did. He should be back soon depending on how angry the aliens are."

"You know?" Luke asked worried.

Rose turned to him. "I'm clever remember? And yeah, you may be smart but not that smart."

"I'm a genius!" Luke protested but his eyes wavered and he glanced over to the pod again.

Rose nodded. "Yeah you are. Just not enough of one to know not to mess with aliens who will only use you."

"That's-" Luke started but was cut off by the Doctor reappearing and running towards them.

"Ross, get out! Rose and Luke, with me!" the Doctor said and disabled the pod but not before one got through.

"That took longer than I thought." Rose noted.

"I got to use the intruder joke." he said pulling His goofy grin. Rose laughed and shook her head.

"Who are you two?" Luke asked confused.

"Sontaran! That's your name isn't it? You're a Sontaran. How did I know that, eh? Fascinating isn't it? Isn't that worth keeping me alive?"

"I order you to surrender in the name of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce." Ross said but he was having a job of trying to keep his eyes from popping out of his head.

"Well that's not going to work. Cordolaine signal, am I right? Copper excitation-" the Doctor started.

"It stops the bullets." Rose summarized quickly.

"I was getting to that!"

"A bit slowly."

"How do you know so much?" the Sontaran asked.

"Weell..." the Doctor started and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Who is he?" the Sontaran asked Luke.

"He didn't give his name." Luke said trying to keep his composure.

"But this isn't typical Sontaran behavior. Hiding! Using teenagers, stopping bullets? A Sontaran should face his bullets with dignity! Shame on you." the Doctor mocked.

"You dishonor me sir!"

"Yeah then show yourself!" the Doctor said waving his hand.

"I will look into my enemy's eyes!" the Sontaran nearly yelled. He removed his helmet slowly.

"That's new." Rose said. The aliens didn't usually just do what he said like that. Especially when in involved taking off helmets.

"Have faith Rose, you wound me." he whispered.

"Oh my God." Ross said and took a step back. He was almost behind Rose now. Rose turned around and winked.

"And your name?" the Doctor asked.

"General Staal of the Tenth Sontaran Fleet. Staal the Undefeated!" he said proudly.

"What if you get defeated though?" Rose asked.

"Yeah that's not a very good name. Staal the Not-Quite-So-Undefeated-Anymore-But-Never-Mind?"

"He's like a potato. A baked potato. A talking baked potato." Ross said still in shock.

Rose tilted her head, he was kinda right actually. "Well we look like pink weasels to him, don't we?" Rose pointed out.

The Doctor grinned but didn't say anything. She was brilliant. "The Sontarans are the finest soldiers in the galaxy. Dedicate to a life of warfare. A clone race, grown in batches of millions with only one weakness." the Doctor said picking up a tennis ball and bouncing it.

"Sontarans had no weakness!"

"No it's a good weakness!"

"Aren't you meant to be clever? Only an idiot would provoke him!" Luke said.

Rose tried to cover a laugh but failed. "Yeah that's kind of his life story." she teases.

"Oi, rude!" the Doctor said turning to her to stick out his tongue. She just stuck hers out too and he turned back before he would lose control and run up to kiss her.

"Anyway the Sontarans are fed by a probic tube in the back of their neck, that's their weak spot. Which means they always have to face their enemies in battle...isn't that brilliant? They can never turn their backs!"

"We stare into the face of death!" Staal said.

"Yeah we'll stare into this!" the Doctor said throwing the ball. It bounced off the wall and hit Staal right in his probic vent. The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and they ran with Ross following right after them.

They were in the jeep and Ross was going as fast as possible down the road.

"Greyhound 40 to trap 1, repeat, can you hear me? Over." Rose said over the com.

"Why's it not working?" Ross asked nervous and doing his best to not freak out.

"Must be the Sontarans. If they can trace that then they can isolate the ATMOS." the Doctor said.

"Ok." Ross said gripping the wheel tighter.

Rose put her hand on Ross's shoulder. "It's ok Ross. Really. We do this all the time. And we know their weak spot. If they come to Earth, we have at least that. Don't think of them as alien, think of them as a threat. A normal threat."

Ross took a deep breath. "Yeah. Normal threat. Got it." he said relaxing slightly. He laughed nervously. "So you do this on a daily basis?"

Rose grinned. "Pretty much yeah."

"Wow. That's...that's wow." Rose laughed.

"It is yeah."

"So...do you come to Earth often then?" he asked calmer now. Rose raised her eyebrows but was still smiling. The Doctor frowned. He was liking Ross less and less.

"Turn left." SAT-NAV told them.

"Try going right!" the Doctor said leaning in between Rose and Ross.

"It said left?" Ross pointed out.

"Yeah so go right!" the Doctor insisted. When Ross tried to turn right the jeep swerved.

"I've got no control, it's driving it's self! It won't stop!" the Doctor tried to do something with his sonic screwdriver.

"And doors are locked." Rose said.

"Ah it's deadlocked! I can't stop it!" the Doctor said hitting it with the sonic.

"I don't think that will help!" Rose said.

"Oh really?" the Doctor added scarcastically.

"Turn Left." SAT-NAV said again.

"But Sat-Nav's just a box, wired through the whole car!"

"River!" Rose pointed out.

"ATMOS, you're programmed to contradict anything I say?"

"Confirmed."

"Then drive into the river! I order you to drive into the river! Drive into the river!" he shouted.

The car was spreading ad Rose shut her eyes but suddenly the car stopped a few inches from the edge. She let out a breath and got out of the car followed by the Doctor and Ross. The Doctor grabbed her hand and they ran.

"Get Down!" the Doctor yelled. They threw themselves onto the ground and the Doctor covered Rose just as the car let off a bang that let off a shower of sparks. "Oh was that it?" the Doctor said sounding disappointed.

Rose started laughing. "Feel like getting off me now then?"

He laughed too. "Well if you insist." he said and hopped up to help her up too.

Rose brushed herself off and grinned. "Disappointed?"

"More about the second bit." the Doctor said grinning slyly.

Rose raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" she asked stepping closer to fix his tie.

"Yep." he said popping his 'p'. He let his hands rest on her hips and she smiled up at him, forgetting for a moment that there was a massive amount of cars that could kill millions of people.

"Um, hello? We should get back to UNIT." Rose said awkwardly.

Rose pulled away and nodded. "Right you are, UNIT here we come!" Rose said and followed Ross.

The Doctor stood narrowing his eyes at Ross. Definitely liking Ross less and less.

The Doctor stood at Donna's door and rang the bell.

"You would not believe the day I'm having." the Doctor said when Donna opened the door.

Donna led him to the car and he bent down to check the ATMOS underneath. Rose and Donna stood off to the side with Ross.

"I can't get a hold of Martha." Donna said hanging up her phone.

"We can meet up with her later." Rose said watching the Doctor.

"So why do you all have dirt on you?" Donna asked.

"The Doctor thought a car would blow up but it only sparked a bit." Rose mocked.

"Oi, it sounded like it was going to!" the Doctor said from under the car.

"I'll go request us a car." Ross said and started running off.

"Is it him? Is it the Doctor?" Wilf asked coming out of the house. "Oh, he's a she? You never said that Donna." he said seeing Rose.

"She's not the Doctor, Gramps! He's under the car." Donna said rolling her eyes.

Wilf looked under and the Doctor stood up. "Oh it's you!"

"Who?" the Doctor asked and saw Wilf pointing at him. "Oh! It's you!"

"What have you met before?" Donna asked.

"Christmas eve, he disappeared right in front of me."

"And you never said?" Donna asked the both of them.

"Well you never said! Wilf sir, Wilfred Mott. You must be one of them aliens."

"Well yeah but don't need to shout about it." the Doctor said shaking his hand.

Wilf turned back to Rose. "Sorry about that my dear, are you one too?"

Rose laughed. "No, no I'm not. Older than I look but still human." she said and shook his hand too.

"Well still a beauty." Wilf said and Rose grinned. "Donna how many people go in that box of his exactly?"

Rose laughed again. "My mum said the same thing."

"Bigger on the inside Gramps." Donna reminded him.

"Donna any luck with Martha?" The Doctor asked.

"Hold on I'll try her again." She said and called again. This time someone picked up. "Martha, hold on he's here!" she said and handed the phone to the Doctor.

"Martha, tell Colonel Mace it's Sontarans. They're in the file, Code Red, Sontarans. But they're inside the factory, tell them not to shoot. UNIT will get massacred. I'll get back as soon as I can got that?"

"Code Red Sontarans, gotcha." she replied dryly, like it was force, and hung up.

The Doctor was still fiddling with the ATMOS.

"The thing is Doctor. Is that Donna is my only grandchild. You gotta promise me you're gonna take care of her." Wild said.

"She takes care of me!" the Doctor said honestly.

"Yeah that's my Donna. She was always bossing us around when she was tiny. The Little General we used to call her."

"Yeah don't start." Donna said rolling her eyes.