Cold War

(Jared's POV)

TARDIS…

I'm sipping on my bubble tea and I wanted to pay a visit to Rin and Sakura Tohsaka. Mostly because I love their story.

I haven't watched enough of the Fate franchise yet in my down time of traveling through all of time and space, but I know their sibling relationship. I met up with Rin and Shirou a long time ago. But I haven't met Sakura yet.

Apparently Sakura was busy during that time frame, which was a shame. Mostly because I saw myself in her.

I knew that at some point, they got Shirou back in their life, which is amazing to me. The Tohsaka Sisters...they remind me so much of...Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, half sisters.

I started tearing up and Rin wiped my tears, knowing how much Atlas broke me inside. And the older Tohsaka sister walked up to me to give a hug.

"Better?" Rin asked.

"Better. Thanks." I said, letting go of Rin.

"So, where are we going?" Sakura asked.

"Vegas. The Tohsaka Sisters, a sibling vacation.." I said, leaning against the TARDIS.

"Why are we doing this?" Rin asked.

"Why not? It could be a lot of fun." Sakura said.

"Think of it as a thank you." I said, looking between Rin and Sakura. "For trying to get through to me."

"Clara was the…" Rin said.

"Spoilers!"

"Spoilers?" Sakura asked.

"Where's the Doctor and Clara?" Rin asked.

"Clara's in the wardrobe. Picking out her outfit."

"You like her, don't you?"

"I do. I thought we went over this."

"Wait. Isn't Clara dead?" Sakura asked.

"Only her echoes are. The Clara in the wardrobe. It's the original one." I said; smiling.

"Original?" Rin asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay…"

"I'll explain it at some point."

"I hope you do." Sakura said. "Because this is confusing."

"I know. Sorry."

"It's fine. Really."

"If you say so." Rin said, angrily.

"When should we get ready?" Sakura asked.

"Now is good." I said, happily.

"Okay."

Control room…

"Alarm! Alarm! Hold the bridge, port side." Stephasih said.

"Evasive manoeuvres!" Zhukov said.

"Descending to two hundred metres." Onegin said.

"We're under attack!" A voice said, on the intercom.

"Two ten!"

"Bring her up! Bring her up!" Zhukov said.

"It's no good, sir." Onegin said.

Then the Tardis materialises and the Doctor and I step out.

"Viva Las Vegas!" The Doctor said, excitedly.

"Time to party, girls!" I said, smiling. "I wanted to take Blake and Yang here. But they're…"

"Dead…" Rin said, grabbing my hand.

The boat shudders and the Doctor and I go flying across the compartment along with Clara, Rin, and Sakura in evening dresses.

"Strangers on the bridge!" Stepashin said.

"Who the hell are you?" Zhukov asked.

"Not Vegas, then." Clara said.

"Nope. This is so much better, my Impossible Girl!" I said, excitedly.

"A sinking submarine?"

"A sinking Soviet submarine!"

"Break out side arms. Restrain them!" Stepashin said.

"Four ten. Four twenty. Turbines still not responding!" Onegin said.

"They've got to." Zhukov said.

The Doctor has the sonic screwdriver switched on, "Ah! Sideways momentum. You've still got sideways momentum!"

"What?" Zhukov asked.

"Your propellers work independently of the main turbines. You can't stop her going down but you can manoeuvre the sub laterally. Do it!" The Doctor said.

"Get these people off the bridge now!" Stepashin said.

"Just listen to him, for god's sake!" Rin said, angrily.

"Geographical anomaly to starboard. Probably an underwater ridge." The Doctor said.

"How do you know this?" Zhukov asked.

"Look, we have just a chance to stop the descent if we settle on it. Do it!"

"Six hundred metres. Sir, six ten!" Onegin said.

"Or this thing is going to implode." The Doctor said.

"Lateral thrust to starboard, all propellers." Zhukov said.

"Sir?" Onegin asked.

"Now!"

"You're going to let this madman give the orders?" Stepashin asked.

"Lateral thrust!" Zhukov said.

"Aye, sir! Six sixty, six eighty." Onegin said, while we hit the ridge just in time. Grey Lady Down. "Descent arrested at seven hundred metres."

"It seems we owe you our lives, whoever you are."

"I'll hold you to that. Might come in handy."

"Search them. Yes, I know. There are women. Now search them!" Stepashin said.

"Are we going to be okay?" Clara asked.

"Yup. We are." I said, grabbing Rin's hand.

"Is that a lie?"

"Yes. It is. We're in a dangerous time period. The Cold War. The United States and Russia are at war. Golden age for the United States cinema. From ET to Back to the Future Part II. And this war could go all nuclear any moment." I said, sadly.

And the Doctor has a Barbie doll in a pocket. And a ball of string.

"Jared's right. Lots of itchy fingers on the button." The Doctor said.

"Isn't it always like that?" Clara asked.

"Sort of, but there are flash points and this is one. Hair, shoulder pads, nukes. It's the Eighties. Everything's bigger. I would like a receipt, please." The Doctor said.

The sonic screwdriver is handed to Captain Zhukov.

"What is this?" Zhukov asked.

The submarine shakes, and Clara looses her footing.

"Clara!" I said, looking over at Clara.

"Jared!"

"Clara!"

The Tardis dematerialises with Shirou Emiya inside it. I remember that I left Shirou in the kitchen for him to cook us lunch later.

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no. No, not now!" The Doctor said, angrily.

Clara falls over into the foot of water on the control room floor, and sees the sonic screwdriver there. Then she passes out, and drifts in and out again. Later, someone has put a uniform jacket on Clara. The Doctor is being interrogated.

"We left Shirou in the TARDIS." Rin said, telepathically.

"I know." I said, telepathically.

"How can we get to him?" Sakura asked, telepathically.

"I don't know."

Clara wakes and stands.

"All right, Captain, all right. You know what? Just this once, no dissembling, no psychic paper, no pretending to be an Earth Ambassador." The Doctor said, coming up with an explanation. "Doctor, me, Jared, and Clara, time travellers. Rin, Sakura, they're sisters and mages."

"Clara, you okay?" I asked, looking over at Clara.

"Think so." Clara said.

"Time travellers? Mages?" Zhukov asked.

"We arrived here out of thin air. You just saw it happen." I said, angrily.

"I didn't." Grisenko said.

"Well, it's your problem. Not mine."

"We were sinking." Clara said, recalling what happened.

"Yeah, we were." I said, looking at Clara.

"What happened?"

"We sank."

"No, what happened to the Tardis, I mean."

"Don't worry. The TARDIS is fine." I said, squeezing Rin's hand.

"Listen. Captain, breath's precious down here. Let's not waste it, eh?" The Doctor asked, looking at Zhukov.

"You're right. Maybe I can save a little oxygen by having you five shot!" Zhukov said.

"What does it matter how we arrived? The important thing is to get…" Clara said, while something breathes very loudly. "...out."

"Exactly! Number one priority, not suffocating." The Doctor said.

"What is that?" Rin asked, telepathically.

Zhukov spots what we were all staring at, too, and releases the Doctor.

"Shit." I said, telepathically. "I forgot about the Ice Warrior."

"Ice Warrior?" Sakura asked, telepathically.

"Eh? Ah. Oh, thank you. Finally seeing sense. Now, what sort of state is the sub in?" The Doctor asked.

The Ice Warrior is directly behind the Doctor.

"Doctor…" I said, as I used my other hand to grab Sakura's hand.

"What about the radio? Can we send a…" The Doctor said.

"Doctor!" Clara said, angrily.

"What!" The Doctor said, hearing a hissing noise. "What is that? Gas? Could be gas." Then he turns around and looks up at the Warrior. "Ah. It never rains but it pours."

"We were drilling for oil in the ice. I thought I'd found a mammoth." Grisenko said.

"It's not a mammoth." Rin said.

"No."

"What is it, then?" Clara asked.

"It's an Ice Warrior. A native of the planet Mars. And we go way back. Way back." The Doctor said.

"A Martian? You can't be serious." Zhukov said.

"I'm always serious. With days off."

"Doctor." Clara said.

"Just keeping it light, Clara. They're scared." The Doctor said.

"They're scared? I'm scared."

Stepashin points his pistol at the Ice Warrior, who raises his weapon arm and powers up.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! Please, please. Wait, just. There is no need for this. Just hear me out. You're confused, disorientated. Of course you are. You've been lying dormant in the ice for, for, for how long? How long, Professor?" The Doctor asked.

"By my reckoning, five thousand years." Grisenko said.

"Five thousand years? That's a hell of a nap. Can't blame you if you've got out of the wrong side of bed. Look, nobody here wants to hurt you." The Doctor said, pushing Stepashin's gun down. "Please, just. Why don't you tell us your name?"

"What are you talking about? It has a name?" Zhukov asked.

"Of course it has a name. And a rank. This is a soldier, and it deserves our respect." The Doctor said.

"This is madness. That is a monster!"

"Skaldak." Skaldak said.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I am Grand Marshal Skaldak."

"Shit. This is bad."

Then electricity plays over Skaldak's wet armour. He roars before collapsing. Stepashin has used a cattle prod on him from behind.

"You idiot! You idiot. Grand Marshal Skaldak." I said, looking at Stepashin.

"You know him." Clara said.

"I do. But I can't remember everything about him. All I remember is that there was a dangerous Ice Warrior for this adventure."

"Let me explain. Grand Marshal Skaldak. Sovereign of the Tharsisian caste. Vanquisher of the Phobos Heresy. The greatest hero the proud Martian race has ever produced." The Doctor said.

"So what do we do now?" Zhukov asked.

"Lock him up." I said, squeezing both of Rin and Sakura's hands.

(Open POV)

Torpedo room….

Skaldak wakes as he is being chained to the girders holding the torpedoes.

"Is it true?" Skaldak asked.

"Er, true?" Onegin asked.

"I slept for five thousand years?"

"Er, that's what the professor says."

"Five thousand years."

Captain's cabin…

"The Ice Warriors have a different creed, Clara, Jared, Rin, Sakura. A different code. By his own standards, Skaldak is a hero. It was said his enemies honoured him so much, they'd carve his name into their own flesh before they died." The Doctor said.

"Oh, yeah. Very nice. He sounds lovely." Clara said.

"An Ice Warrior? Explain." Zhukov said.

"There isn't time." The Doctor said.

"Try me."

"Martian reptile know as the Ice Warrior. When Mars turned cold they had to adapt. They're bio-mechaniod. Cyborgs. Built themselves survival armour so they could exist in the freezing cold of their home world, but a sudden increase in temperature and the armour goes haywire."

"Like with the cattle prod thing." Clara said, happily.

"Like with the cattle prod thing. Bit of a design flaw. To be honest, I've always wondered why they never sorted it. Oh look, you've got me telling you about them and I said there wasn't time." The Doctor said.

"Is he that dangerous?"

"This one is." Jared said, crossing his arms.

Torpedo room…

"Find me, my brothers. If you are still out there, find me." Skaldak said.

A beacon flashes inside his armour.

Captain's cabin…

Professor Grisenko puts his headphones back on.

"Why are we listening to this nonsense, Captain? These people are clearly enemy agents." Stepashin said.

"Huh?" Clara asked.

"Spies, Captain."

"Pretty bad spies, mate. I don't even speak Russian."

"What?"

"I don't." Clara said, looking at Jared. "Am I speaking Russian? How come I'm speaking Russian?"

"Now? We're seriously doing this now?!" Jared exclaimed.

"Are they speaking Russian?"

"Yes. They're speaking Russian. It's the TARDIS translation matrix. Translates almost all languages in your head by telepathy. From audio and visual. To your native language. For the Tohsaka sisters, they're hearing Japanese."

"In my opinion, Comrade Captain, this creature is a Western weapon." Stepashin said.

"Are they?" Clara asked.

"Yes, they're Russians." Jared said, rolling his eyes.

"An Ice Warrior." Rin said, telepathically.

"I know. I know." Jared said, telepathically.

"How can we stop it?" Sakura asked, telepathically.

"I can't remember. All I remember was us trying to go to Vegas. And then ending up on a Soviet submarine."

"So, you're useless then." Rin said, telepathically. "Was that rude?"

"Yes…" Sakura said, telepathically. "What should we do?"

"We could try talking to it." Jared said, telepathically.

"Talking? That could work." Rin said, telepathically. "We don't have to fight it."

"Y'know, I did a bit of watching a while back."

"Of what? Our lives?"

"Yes. I can't help but feel bad for well, everyone involved in the Fourth and Fifth Grail Wars."

"Tell me about it. You told me in one timeline, I moved to London with Shirou."

"That's called the Unlimited Blade Works timeline." Jared said, telepathically. "Rin, in that timeline, you had Saber for a while."

"Saber? Artoria? As what? My Servant?"

"Yeah. It was pretty cool. That battle with Shirou and Gilgamesh. My god. It was epic."

Stepashin leaves.

"All we needed to do was let Skaldak go and he'd have forgotten us. But you attacked him. You declared war. Harm one of us and you harm us all. That's the ancient Martian code." The Doctor said, hearing beeping from Grisenko's headphones. "You hear that? Skaldak has sent out a distress call. He will bring down the fires of hell just for laying a glove on him."

"Unless you talk to it?" Zhukov asked.

"I'm the only one who can." The Doctor said.

"No. Out of the question. We're not losing you. I'll do it."

"What?"

"You can talk to it through me."

"Skaldak won't talk to you. You're an enemy soldier. And Jared is also an enemy soldier." The Doctor said.

"And how would he know that?" Zhukov asked.

"A soldier knows another soldier. We can't send in Rin or Sakura either since they participated in the Fifth Holy Grail War. By being Masters to Holy Spirits that became Servant. It's the equivalent of an officer giving commands to a soldier. He'll smell it on you. Smell it on you a mile off."

"And he wouldn't smell it on you, Doctor?"

"Just let me in there before it's too late. It can't be you or any of your men."

"Well, it can't be you."

"Ahem. Well, there really is only one choice, isn't there. I don't smell of anything, to my knowledge." Clara said.

"You? No! No way! You're not going in there alone, Clara. Absolutely not. Never." Jared said, walking up to Clara.

Torpedo room...

The small circular bulkhead door closes behind Clara. She puts on the radio headset and picks up an inspection light.

Captain's cabin…

Clara is visible on a small screen.

"With your permission?" The Doctor asked.

"Be my guest." Zhukov said.

"Ready, Clara?"

Torpedo room…

"Yeah." Clara said.

"Okay." The Doctor said, his voice over the headphones.

"Grand Marshal Skaldak."

Captain's cabin…

"The salute." The Doctor said.

Torpedo room…

"Do the salute like I showed you." The Doctor said, his voice over headphones.

Clenched right fist to left shoulder.

"Okay?" Clara asked.

Captain's cabin…

"Good. Good. Now, like we rehearsed. Sovereign of the Tharsisian caste." The Doctor said.

Torpedo room…

"Sovereign of the Tharsisian caste. By the moons, I honour the…" Clara said.

"That's good, Clara. Stay calm. It's okay. Get closer to him." Jared said, his voice over the headphones.

"Grand Marshal, I'm, we're sorry about this."

Captain's cabin…

"It's not what you deserve." The Doctor said.

"It isn't what you deserve." Clara said, her voice over the speakers.

The power goes out.

Torpedo room…

"Oh. Oh, great." Clara said, annoyed.

Captain's cabin…

CCTV and intercom are still working.

"Hey, it's okay, Clara. Keep going." Jared said, grabbing Sakura's hand.

Torpedo room…

Clara puts down the inspection light and switches on a small torch, "You're a long way from home."

Captain's cabin…

"Five thousand years." The Doctor said.

"And five thousand years adrift in time." Clara said, her voice over the speaker.

Torpedo room…

"Please, let us help you. You are not our enemy." Clara said.

"And yet I am in chains." Skaldak said.

"Doctor, what do I say?" Clara asked.

"Yes, Doctor." Skaldak said.

Captain's cabin…

"What should she say?" Skaldak asked, over the speakers.

"I think he wants to speak to the organ grinder, not to the monkey." Grisenko said.

Torpedo room…

"I heard that." Clara said, angrily.

Captain's cabin…

"You are restrained until we can trust each other, Skaldak. You would do exactly the same in my position, and don't even think…" The Doctor said, talking into the microphone.

Torpedo room…

"...about using that sonic weapon. Not in the torpedo room." The Doctor said, over the speakers.

"I was Fleet Commander of the Nix Tharsis. My daughter stood by me. It was her first taste of action. We sang the songs of the Old Times." Skaldak said.

Captain's cabin…

"The Songs of the Red Snow." Skaldak said, his voice over the speakers.

Torpedo room…

"Five thousand years. Now my daughter will be dust. Only dust." Skaldak said.

"He hasn't moved." Rin said, telepathically.

Despite the emotion in the words, Skaldak hasn't even twitched.

"This is bad…" Jared said, telepathically.

"No, no, no. Listen, your people live on Skaldak." The Doctor said, his voice over the speakers.

Captain's cabin…

"Scattered all across the universe. And Mars will rise again, I promise you." The Doctor said.

Torpedo room…

"Just let me help you." The Doctor said, his voice over the speakers.

"I require no help." Skaldak said.

Captain's cabin…

"There will be no help." Skaldak said, over the speakers.

"Be careful Clara." Jared said, squeezing Sakura's hand.

"I'm okay." Clara said, on screen.

"Clara, listen to me. Don't get too close."

Torpedo room…

"I'm okay. Doctor, Jared, something's wrong." Clara said.

Captain's cabin...

"What?" The Doctor asked.

Torpedo room…

"Something's…" Clara said, while she touches the helmet and it hinges backwards. "...it's not there. It's gone!"

The armour opens like a Dalek shell. It is empty.

Captain's cabin…

"Gone? Gone? Gone? What do you mean, gone?" The Doctor asked.

Torpedo room...

"It's got out." Clara said.

"It is time I learned the measure of my enemies." Skaldak said, over the speakers.

Captain's cabin…

"And what this vessel is capable of." Skaldak said, over the speakers.

"No. Don't Skaldak!" Jared said, angrily.

Torpedo room…

"Harm one of us and you harm us all. By the Moons, this I swear." Skaldak said, over the speakers.

Captain's cabin…

"Clara, get out of there. Get out!" Jared said, squeezing Sakura's hand.

Zhukov puts a gun to the Doctor's head.

"Now, I've never seen one do this before. Actually, I've never seen one out of its armour before." The Doctor said.

Zhukov lowers his gun.

"Won't it be more vulnerable out of its shell?" Grisenko asked.

"No, it will be more dangerous." The Doctor said.

The Doctor and Jared run out.

Outside the torpedo room…

"Clara? Clara?" Jared asked, while Clara ran to the door and started to open it. Then something whooshes past Clara and down the passageway. "Clara! Clara! Clara! Clara!"

Jared drags the stunned girl out. The Tohsaka sisters are behind the ally of justice.

"I'm okay. Ha, ha! I'm okay. I'm okay! Where did he go?" Clara asked, while Professor Grisenko picks up an irregular pattern of beeps on his earphones. "How did I do? Was I okay?"

"Clara, that wasn't a test." Jared said, grabbing Clara's hand.

"I know, but…" Clara said.

"You were great out there."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Doctor? The signal. It's stopped." Grisenko said.

"Skaldak got no answer from his Martian brothers. Now he's given up hope." The Doctor said.

"Hope of what?" Zhukov asked.

"Being rescued. He thinks he's been abandoned. He's got nothing left to lose."

Passageway…

As the ledge below the submarine slowly crumbles under its weight.

"But what can he do, stuck down here like the rest of us? How bad can it be?" Zhukov asked.

"This sub's stuffed with nuclear missiles, Zhukov. It's fat with them. What do you think Skaldak's going to do when he finds that out? How bad can it be? How bad can it be? It couldn't be any worse." The Doctor said.

"Doctor!" Rin said, angrily.

Some tumbling rocks hit the submarine and water poured through a hatch.

"I think you jinxed us." Sakura said.

It gets closed quickly.

"Okay. Spoke too soon." The Doctor said.

"Yup, you have." Jared said, squeezing Clara's hand.

"What now?" Rin asked.

"I said that I don't know."

Control room…

"Comrades, you know our situation. The reactor is drowned. We are totally reliant on battery power and our air is running out. Rescue is unlikely, but we still have a mission to fulfil. If the Doctor is right, then we are all that stands between this creature and the destruction of the world. Control of one missile is all he needs. We are expendable, comrades. Our world is not. I know I can rely on every one of you to do his duty without fail. That is all." Zhukov said.

Turbine room…

"Listen to me. We both understand each other. This, this mewling time of peace, it doesn't suit us. We are both warriors, and together we can form an alliance." Stepashin said.

"An alliance?" Skaldak asked.

"Yes. To win the Cold War."

"Cold War?"

"Both sides are capable of completely obliterating the other. It's a state we call mutually assured destruction."

"Mutually assured destruction. But this has not occured." Skaldak said.

"No." Stepashin said.

"Not yet."

(Jared's POV)

Control room…

"Even if a missile did get launched, that wouldn't be it, would it?" Clara asked.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"End of the world. Game over. I mean, what if they fired one by accident. What would happen then?"

"I told you, Clara. Earth is like a storm waiting to break, right now. Both sides baring their teeth, talking up war. It would only take one tiny spark." The Doctor said.

"Yeah, but the world didn't end in 1983, did it, or me, Rin, and Sakura wouldn't be here."

"Clara, new history can happen. It's always in flux. It's able to change due to anything we do in the past. Time can be rewritten." I said, sadly.

The crew are all armed with rifles.

"How many of us are left?" The Doctor asked.

"Twelve. And we can't find Stepashin." Zhukov asked.

"We split up and comb this sub. One team stays here to guard the bridge."

"That's it? That's the plan?"

"Well, it's either that or we stay here and wait for him to kill us."

"Okay." Zhukov said.

"Is it true you've never seen one outside of its shell suit?" Clara asked.

"Shell suit? Clara! For an Ice Warrior to leave its armour is the gravest dishonour. Skaldak is desperate. He is deadly and we have got to find him." The Doctor said.

"Will this help?" Grisenko asked.

The sonic screwdriver.

"Ah! You saved it." The Doctor said, looking at the sonic screwdriver.

"No, no, it was on the floor with this." Grisenko said.

The Barbie doll.

The Doctor kisses the Barbie doll, "Ah, Professor, I could kiss you."

"If you insist." Grisenko said.

"Later." The Doctor said.

"Rin, want to watch a reaper dying in a shooter and a zombie girl carrying her in a shooter?" I asked.

"Now or later? Because I would prefer later."

Compartment…

"So, no to Apex Legends then." I said, sadly.

"You can watch Ollie and Calliope later." Rin said, frowning.

"Fine. Mom."

"Have you ever thought of watching them on your phone?" Sakura asked.

"Not now. It's the middle of the Cold War." I said, looking at Rin.

"Smartphones haven't been invented yet."

"Has it stopped you in the past?"

"To keep my spirits up." Grisenko said.

"Yeah, that would work, if this was Pinocchio." Clara said.

"Clara! Don't bring up Pinnochio!" I said, thinking of Penny Polendina.

The Doctor seems to have set off some alarms.

"Do you miss Penny a lot?" Rin asked, telepathically.

"Every day." I said, telepathically. "Why can't you go back to her?"

"She's dead."

"I know. But still."

The Doctor gets a hatch open and puts his head inside. They hear an echoing growl.

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

"Pressure. Just pressure. We're seven hundred metres down, remember?" The Doctor asked.

"Don't worry about it. Think of something else." Grisenko said, singing the opening phrase of his song. "I am hungry like the wolf."

"I'm not singing." Clara said.

"Don't you know it?"

"Course I know it. We do it at karaoke, the odd hen night."

"Karaoke? Hen night? You speak excellent Russian, my dear, but sometimes I don't understand a word you're talking about."

Submarine…

"If we get out of here, we'll be bloody heroes." Onegin said.

"If we get out of here." Belvich said.

"The first people in the world to discover a genuine, living…"

"Alien?" Belvich asked, while the alien reaches down and lifts the hapless helmsman up by his head. "I don't know. You hear stories, don't you. Stories about the things the Kremlin doesn't want us to…" Then he realises he is alone. "Onegin? Onegin!"

The Doctor, Clara, Grisenko, Rin, Sakura, and I hear the growls and screams, and run towards them. We only see a stiff arm and hand sticking up.

"Good God. Torn apart. It's a monster, a savage." Grisenko said.

"No, Professor. Not savage. Forensic. Well, he's dismantled them. Skaldak's learning. Learning all about you. Your strengths, your weaknesses. Come on." The Doctor said, while we go down a passageway.

"Stay here." I said, looking between Clara, Rin, and Sakura.

"Okay." Sakura said.

"Stay here. Rin. Don't argue with me."

"I'm not." Rin said, crossing her arms.

"Clara, stay close to Rin and Sakura. They have their magic. They protect you." I said, smiling.

"Okay." Clara said, as I walked up to the brunette to passionately kiss her.

I let go of Clara after kissing her for a few seconds.

"Right. Good." I said, grabbing the Doctor's hand. "Let's go, Raggedy Man!"

The Doctor and I go up a ladder.

"Rin, do you think we'll make it out of her?" Sakura asked, telepathically.

"If Jared says we can. Then we can." Rin said, telepathically.

"I have faith in him. Like we do with Shirou."

"What do you think will happen next with him?"

"Jared said something about going to the Moon." Sakura said, telepathically.

"Are you sure you're not confusing it with a space station?"

"I don't think so. This isn't Gurren Lagann."

"Jared loves mechs."

"And he loves magic and music. No wonder he hangs out with us."

Elsewhere, there is a growl and something flashes past a grating.

"It's in the walls." Zhukov said.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and I find a body.

"Oh, Stepashin." I said, grabbing the Doctor's hand. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

The Doctor and I hear running feet above us.

"Oh, oh, oh. Fast. He's fast." The Doctor said.

And, with more creaking and growling.

"This adventure is more dangerous than I remembered." I said, telepathically.

"An Ice Warrior is dangerous. From what we've seen today." Rin said, telepathically.

"You're not wrong."

"How is it with the Doctor?"

"Stephasin died."

"Oh." Sakura said, telepathically.

"How many people will die today?" Rin asked, telepathically.

"Hopefully not many. If things remain the same." I said, telepathically.

"Okay. That's all I needed to know for now."

"Good."

"Yeah."

"I'll keep the line open."

Clara laughs, "Funny. You're funny."

Then Skaldak grabs Clara's head from above.

"Let her go!" Grisenko said, shooting and Skaldak retreats. "See? I don't just like Western music…"

Skaldak grabs Grisenko as the Doctor and I run up.

"No, please don't hurt him. Please!" Clara said.

"You attacked me. Martian law decrees that the people of this planet are forfeit. I now have all the information I require. It will take only one missile to begin the process. To end this Cold War." Skaldak said.

"Grand Marshal, there's no need for this. Listen to me." I said, looking at Skaldak.

"My distress call has not been answered. It will never be answered. My people are dead. They are dust. There is nothing left for me except my revenge." Skaldak said.

The armour in the torpedo room activates.

"There is something left for you, Skaldak. Mercy." The Doctor said.

"Mercy?" Skaldak asked.

"You must wear that armour for a reason, my friend. Let's see, shall we?" Zhukov asked.

"No, Captain, wait!" The Doctor said, angrily.

"I will do whatever it takes to defend my world, Doctor."

"Yes, great, fine, good, but we are getting somewhere here. We are negotiating. Jaw-jaw not war-war."

"Churchill?" Grisenko asked.

"Churchill." The Doctor said.

"Very well, we'll negotiate, but from a position of strength." Zhukov said.

"Excellent tactical thinking. My congratulations, Captain." Skaldak said.

"Thank you."

Unfortunately, Zhukov's position is not, perhaps, as strong as he might hope.

I have been getting glimpses of Skaldak in the dark.

"Talk about H.G. Wells." I said, sadly.

I'm looking at the red glowing eyes and lipless mouth of Skaldak.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked., while the armor entered the room which had broken its shackles.

Skaldak releases Grisenko and drops into it.

"He summoned the armour." I said, grabbing Clara's hand.

"How did it do that?" Clara asked.

"Sonic tech, Clara. The song of the Ice Warrior." The Doctor said, and a submariner empties his rifle at the back of the armour. "No!"

"My world is dead but now there will be a second red planet. Red with the blood of humanity!" Skaldak said.

"Skaldak! Skaldak, wait!" I said, squeezing Clara's hand.

Control room…

Skaldak plugs himself into the computer and the launch key locks turn. A missile spins up.

"No! Skaldak! Wait! Don't go nuclear!" Jared said, looking at Skaldak.

"He's arming the warheads." Rin said, sadly.

"Where is the honour in condemning billions of innocents to death? Five thousand years ago Mars was the centre of a vast empire. The jewel of this solar system. The people of Earth had only just begun to leave their caves. Five thousand years isn't such a long time. They're still just frightened children, still primitive. Who are you to judge them?" The Doctor asked.

Skaldak unplugs himself, "I am Skaldak! This planet is forfeit under Martian law."

"Then teach them. Teach them, Grand Marshal. Show them another way. Show them there is honour in mercy. Is this how you want history to remember you? Grand Marshal Skaldak, Destroyer of Earth. Because that's what you'll be if you send those missiles. Not a soldier, a murderer. Five billion lives extinguished. No chance for goodbyes. A world snuffed out like a candle flame! All right. All right, Skaldak, you leave me no choice. I'm a Time Lord, Skaldak. I know a thing or two about sonic technology myself."

"A threat? You threaten me, Doctor?" Skaldak asked.

"No. No, not you, all of us. I will blow this sub up before you can even reach that button, Grand Marshal. Blow us all to oblivion."

"You would sacrifice yourself?"

"I would sacrifice myself. I've done it before. I launched myself and a missile into a wormhole." I said, grabbing Rin's hand. "If it was for the greater good. Lady Palutena revived me as I am under her protection."

"Mutually assured destruction." Skaldak said.

"Look into my eyes, Skaldak. Look into my eyes and tell me you're capable of doing this. Huh? Can you do that? Dare you do that? Look into my eyes, Skaldak. Come on. Face to face." The Doctor said.

"Well, Doctor." Skaldak said.

"Talk about looking worse than a Silurian." Rin said, telepathically.

The helmet tilts back to reveal the Martian lizard with its lidless eyes.

"Tell me about it." I said, telepathically.

"Which of us shall blink first?" Skaldak asked.

"Why did you hesitate? Back there, in the dark. You were going to kill this man, remember? I begged you not to, and you listened. Why show compassion then, Skaldak, and not now? The Doctor's right. Billions will die. Mothers, sons, fathers, daughters. Remember that last battle, Skaldak? Your daughter. You sang the songs." Clara said.

"Of the Red Snows."

"What?" Sakura asked.

The submarine shifts.

"What's happening?" Clara asked.

"It's the Ice Warriors!" I said, looking at Rin.

A tractor beam has grabbed us.

"My people live. They have come for me!" Skaldak said, happily.

"We're rising. We're rising!" Zhukov said.

"Six hundred metres. Five fifty." Grisenko said.

The conning tower breaks through the ice.

"We've surfaced. Your people have saved us." The Doctor said.

"Saved me, not you." Skaldak said.

"Just go, Skaldak, please. Please, Skaldak, just go in peace." I said, looking at Skaldak.

Skaldak is teleported away.

"We did it. We did it!" Clara said, smiling.

"No. No, no, no, no, no. It's still armed. A single pulse from that ship. I'll destroy us if I have to. I will destroy us if I have to. Show mercy, Skaldak. Come on. Show mercy." The Doctor said.

"I'm lost and I'm found, and I'm hungry like the wolf." Clara said, singing nearby.

The nuclear trigger disarms and the silos close.

The Doctor turns off his sonic screwdriver, "Now we're safe."

Clara hugs me for a long moment.

"Ahem. Saved the world, then?" Clara asked.

"Yup. We always save the world. Whether I'm with the Doctor, Lady Palutena, Team RWBY, Symphogear." I said, smirking.

"That's what we do."

"Yup. You're the boss!"

Conning tower…

We look up at the Martian spaceship.

"Is this the end of this adventure?" Rin asked, telepathically.

"Yup. It is." I said, telepathically.

"What are we going to do now?" Sakura asked, telepathically.

"We sit back and relax."

"Where's the TARDIS?"

"I've been tinkering, breaking her in. I'm allowed." The Doctor said.

"What did you do?" Clara asked.

"I reset the HADS." The Doctor said.

"Huh?"

"I reset the HADS."

"The what?"

"The HADS. The Hostile Action Displacement System. If the Tardis comes under attack, gunfire, time winds, the sea, it relocates."

"Oh, Doctor." Clara said, sadly.

"Haven't used it in donkey's years. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Well, never mind, it's bound to turn up somewhere." The Doctor said, while his sonic screwdriver starts whirring. "Ooo. Ha, see? Right on cue. Brilliant."

"Brilliant." Clara said.

"The Tardis is at the pole."

"Not far, then." Clara said.

"The North Pole isn't that far." Rin said, smiling.

"It isn't." Sakura said.

"I want to see the Northern Lights along the way!" I said, excitedly.

"The south pole." The Doctor said, frowning.

"Ah." Clara said.

"Could we have a lift?"

General laughter. The Doctor salutes the Martian spaceship as it flies away.