9

The Doctor ducked under the console and started recalibrating the quantum synchroniser – at least, that was Ace’s wild guess.

‘Aren’t you going to at least warn the Daleks?’ she asked.

‘No time. Besides, what good would it do?’ said the Doctor. ‘Once I’ve recalibrated our long-range sensors, we’re out of here. We need to get back to the Plexus to reverse all this.’

‘You promised Pytha you’d fix things.’

‘And I will, just not from here.’

‘But wouldn’t it be better to stay and try to sort out the problem alongside the Daleks? Surely working together you could find a solution?’ Ace wasn’t ready to give up on this universe. Not yet.

‘Ace, I know it’s hard, but you have to let go of this timeline. It isn’t right – and it isn’t ours.’

‘If it was, would you work harder to save it?’

The Doctor sighed. ‘I don’t like this any more than you do, but the only way to save the universe is to put it back the way it was.’ The Doctor shook his head, his lips twisting with regret. ‘Ace, you may not believe this but I wanted to be wrong about this universe. I really did.’

Ace activated the viewscreen. Daleks were moving quickly among the other aliens. It looked like they were trying to reassure everyone. Ace squatted down, one question burning its way through her mind. ‘Professor, what happens to Tulana if you reverse everything?’

‘Even a Time Lord can’t know the fate of every person in the universe.’

Ace didn’t miss the way the Doctor couldn’t quite look her in the eye. ‘What do you think will happen?’ she asked.

There was a pause. The Doctor finally sighed. ‘Tulana is a native of the planet Markhan.’

‘So?’

The Doctor shuffled evasively.

‘What aren’t you telling me?’ Ace persisted.

‘About two hundred years ago there was a plague on that planet. It was started by the Daleks as a prelude to an invasion.’

‘How many died?’

‘All of them, Ace. They all died. The Markhan Genocide is one of the Daleks’ greatest atrocities.’

‘So if we put things back to the way they were …?’

‘Tulana won’t exist,’ the Doctor confirmed.

‘No …’ Ace felt sick. She straightened up, immediately followed by the Doctor who lowered the console to its normal position. Ace searched the viewscreen, trying to spot her friend. ‘Doctor, couldn’t I just say goodbye to her? Please? I’ll be quick.’

‘That’s not a good idea,’ said the Doctor gently. ‘For all kinds of reasons.’

Ace watched as anxious students from a vast number of different star systems huddled round the Daleks, seeking answers that only the Doctor could provide. On the entrance ramp to the astrophysics building, Ace saw Tulana and some of her friends having an animated conversation with a Dalek. Ace blinked rapidly to ease the stinging in her eyes and then nodded briefly.

For the first time, travelling with the Doctor was making her eyes leak.

‘Uh-oh!’ The Doctor was scrutinising the console, his expression beyond worried. ‘Time to skedaddle, I think. Hold on!’

Ace only just had time to grab hold of one of the console supports before the TARDIS jolted as it dematerialised. ‘So we’re heading back to the Plexus?’

‘Yes.’

‘To fix things?’

‘Yes.’

‘If what we’re doing is right, why doesn’t it feel that way?’

The Doctor had no answer.