bakerstreet | The Darkest Timeline Meme

"That's exactly the problem, isn't it? You like it because it's got plenty of helpless people for you to convert. Or at the very least some quality target practice." River hated how coldly the words fell from her tongue, but it was the only way she could get them out.

"Unless of course you've got some other reason for being here?"

"Is there a better place to start taking over the universe?"

Stormcage was a veritable fortress. The disadvantage to being some kind of hybrid was that he could be killed quicker than a Cyberman. He needed a vantage point and now he had one. Only one person was ever able to break out, then in again with any frequency, and she was standing right in front of him.

"So, it's both."

Why he was letting her stand there and continue to talk to him, he had no idea.

"Honestly I'd prefer you didn't do it at all, but we're clearly past that juncture."

The fact that she was still standing here, talking to him and fiddling with the console was one she was grateful for. It was buying her some time, after all. "So, I suppose my only choice is to either submit to your will or, as you've so cleverly suggested, pilot the TARDIS away from here. And you should know that I'm not very good with authority, so-" She hit the switch from before, and the TARDIS roared to life, but it was clearly struggling to complete her intended travel, as if fighting a great paradox.

"Fancy a little crossing your time stream, Mr. Clever? Say, your point of origin?"

"Clearly," he agreed.

After the scarf memory came back to him he decided to see what else was hiding in the Doctor's mind concerning River Song. Quite a lot from what he saw and not much of it bad, though she did try to kill him twice. That's interesting.

"Planning to convince your Dear Doctor to make a different decision? I doubt he would."

She laughed. "There's the difference between you and I, Mr. Clever. I have no doubts. I'm absolutely certain he'd still make the same choice." With a smirk on her face, she leaned forward to keep her hands on the controls, urging the TARDIS to continue on.

"So I'm not going to change his mind. I'm going to change yours."

River cursed lightly under her breath as the TARDIS fought her from crossing the Doctor's time-stream, making slow progress. "I'm from the Doctor's future. I know him far better than you ever could. But that's all changed now, thanks to you. So let's change it up again, eh?" She raised her eyebrows at him, challenging him.

"I can't change what the Doctor's done, but making him - and you - cross your own timelines, that creates what we call a paradox. And considering - ungh-" She groaned as she struggled with the controls. "-how much the old girl here is fighting me, I'd say your creation has become a pretty fixed point. So if I change it - well, it just might rip a hole in the universe. Actually, I'm certain it will. Bye-bye Universe, bye-bye Cybermen, bye-bye to you, me, all of this."

She gestured around them as her gaze narrowed. "Unless. You give him. Back. Now. And if you think I'm bluffing, wrack that brain you've stolen. See what happens to the universe when I get involved."

That's her plan. Not to be the good diplomat and change the Doctor's mind, but to threaten Mr. Clever's - and the entire universe's - existence.

"If the ship lets you, which it doesn't seem it's going to."

He knew what a paradox was, considering he was currently using a Time Lord's brain. He also knew River was a professional at creating them. Most likely, she was going to make good on her threat.

"He's that important to you?" Then a smile, if you could call it that, "If I say no, he's not going to forgive you for this. That'll be the last thing he remembers. You destroyed the universe."

"I'm just as stubborn as she is," River spat back. She wasn't going to stop fighting. It was a gamble, but one she was fully willing to take. Even though it pained her to see the TARDIS struggle so, she was too wrapped up in her feelings for the Doctor.

"I don't care." She replied with a defiant shake of her head. "A universe without him isn't worth having. I'd rather have none at all, because, yes, he is that important to me. See, that's what you Cybers never understand! Emotions don't make you weak. They give more power than you could ever dream of!"

Edited 2013-06-04 05:37 (UTC)

"Oh, I know that."

Feelings can give you power, sure. They can also give power to others. Mr. Clever wasn't 100% Cyberman. He had the Doctor's feelings and he knew exactly how the Doctor felt about River, and how she felt about the Doctor. It'd be almost too easy to use that against her. Emotions make you an easy target. The question was, how much of what was left of the Doctor could come out and play a bit?

A deep breath was enough to make him change character just a little at least enough to change his tone of voice to sound very much like The Doctor, "River, what are you doing?"

Her head shot up at that. His voice was...different.

"Doctor?" She tried to hold the wavering of her emotions in check. Was it really him, or was the universe about to strike her another cruel blow? "I'm...I'm tearing apart time for you, sweetie. Have you come to scold me?"

So far so good. Bringing up her memories of him would probably be a smart choice.It was enough to show her the Doctor was still in there, somewhere.

"I scolded you the last time. No weddings to save things this time."

"This time it's not your plan that's in motion," she replied, moving to take a step towards him. Unfortunately the TARDIS lurched and came to a sudden halt, and instead she stumbled forward into him.

"Looks like I'm not the only stubborn woman you've got here," she joked. "She doesn't like my plan either."

Mr. Clever caught her despite his better judgement. He was, after all, supposed to be the Doctor.

"No, you're not. Maybe you should listen to her."

"I can't do that, sweetie." She looked up at him and shook her head. "I've made my choice, now I've got to go through with it. Unless he accepts my terms and gives you back."

"I lost River."

And the Doctor lies, sure. He thought, when everything was going on, that he was doing that then too. But in the end, the Cyberplanner took him at his word.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't talk like that."

She shook her head vehemently once more. "No, I can't - I won't accept that!" She let tears fall freely down her cheeks, her arms instinctively wrapping around him. He sounded, felt, and smelled like her Doctor - wasn't that enough?

"What good is a universe without you? What...what good am I?" And there it was - the weakness River Song tried so hard to hide behind her flirtations and big hair and gun - her own vulnerability and self-doubt.

And almost as quickly as Mr. Clever decided to allow the Doctor to talk to his wife, he was just gone, the Cyberplanner back in his place. His tone was unbearably mocking, "Face it, Dear. Your Sweetie's not coming back. He's right. He lost."

He wasn't going to get into the Doctor's feelings about this woman or the fact that he could feel how upset the time lord was about seeing her tears.

"Shut up! Shut up and give him back!" River screamed and raised her hand to slap him. She drew close to hitting him, but then stopped. She let her hand, now clenched in a fist, fall to her side.

"Then take me, instead," she whispered, staring at the bow-tie he wore. She couldn't bring herself to look up at him. Out of shame for herself and her weakness.

"And why exactly would I want you?" He bit the words out.

He couldn't fathom why he'd want her. Thanks to the Doctor's mind, he knew she was human plus, but it wasn't anywhere near what the Doctor was.

"I don't mean...." River faltered for a moment, her heart sinking. "I don't mean take my body over his...I don't hold that sort of value. I'm well aware of that. But that body you're using is precious to me, and you're the first of your kind, Mr Clever. A Time Lord cyberplanner - Advanced software in a complicated casing. If you aren't careful, you can still be....deleted."

She let the word drip from her lips with disdain. But was it for him or herself?

"You could use a bodyguard."

Well, she did have a point. It was possible for him to still be killed, so he thought. Time Lords had that little trick to cheat death, but neither he nor the Doctor were sure if he would survive that.

"That, might not be a bad idea."

River raised her eyes to look at him, the distressed sounds of the TARDIS having faded as if to focus upon their exchange.

"Perhaps we can come to an...arrangement, then."

He leaned against the console and crossed his feet at the ankle before folding his arms across his chest, "What sort of arrangement?"

"One that gives you an accomplished bodyguard and one that leaves me with my brain attached to the rest of me," she said, crossing her own arms. "I'm a better asset as I am than as one of your cyber drones. Those memories you've got access to should tell you as much."

The Cyberplanner thought about it for a minute it wasn't a bad idea, and the Doctor's memories were clear on one thing, River Song was good with a gun, among other things.

"And what's going to keep you from deleting me?"

"You're all that's left of the Doctor in this universe," River replied, stepping up to meet him.

"I'd rather be by his side in hell than be an angel in a world without him."

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madman_inabox - 2013-12-11 14:44 (UTC) - Expand

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riverborntorun - 2014-01-03 04:29 (UTC) - Expand

The Darkest Timeline Meme

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stubborn muse is stubborn. Eventually she'll go dark, I swear

I think they're trying to out clever each other

I think you're right. Although I do think I've found an opening for her

Woohoo

Feel free to manipulate her feelings a bit

He plans on it.

Fantastic :)

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