Rise the Moon

I heard the woman singing; far away, deep from within the ship. I could not concentrate on my local environment. I was distracted by the images in my mind from the planet below. Fourteen elder witches were fighting their way into positions around the ship on the ground. But others were running for their lives. I could watch them like surveillance cameras. At the same time, see through their eyes. I could help them by guiding them through the laser maze of screaming Daleks. But I had to make a choice, a sacrifice. I wasn't going to be able to coordinate them and watch out for myself. I blinked out for a moment and spoke to my beggar man. "Doctor, you must lead me to the heart of the ship. I won't be able to get there myself." I felt him grab my hand. My visions went back and forth between the witches below and moments on the ship. We ran and fought our way through the vessel to the heart. When we got there, the witches below were ready.

When I returned to my actual environment, the Doctor and I were surrounded by Daleks. The Doctor was talking to them. The ship reactor core was within easy distance of me. And being an unarmed companion, the Daleks had already decided I wasn't a threat. What can I say? They aren't very smart and, for some reason, utterly blind to the energy pulsing through my shirt.

I worked my way over to the reactor core. The ball of burning fire rolled and lurched in its containment field. Ignoring all logic, I jumped into it. The Daleks went berserk. I didn't pay them any mind, and I didn't feel anything. I retreated into the hive mind. "Sisters, chant with me."

On the ground, the fourteen elder witches flowed with power. We all spoke as one.

“Oh Silver River, shift your cosmic stream

Impel the force, increase the flow, and to the spell empower.

Barren life imperils pregnant death’s dream

Hark! Attend! Oh, The Moment save us this final hour

 Draw down the moons, stir the wind, shape the vault

Flames encircle, evil ensnare, Dalek hearts bind within

Rise the moons, revert to default

Then, intuition compute engine of twenty-seven

Inside this motion safe, all forms withheld

A single second, shielded pocket, sealed unparalleled.”

 Outside and from behind the ship, the two burning moons rumbled, causing the planet to quake. They descended together. In unison, combined their flames and stuck down the ship. The planet breeze turned into a violent hurricane, sucking all the screaming Daleks into the spiraling flames above. Then, the moons rose back beyond the atmosphere and realigned. Appearing one at a time, twenty-five additional celestial bodies materialized in the sky. These oriented into an optimum pattern and held in the sky for all to see. A wave of energy rocketed from overhead, throwing witches to the ground. The burst of power jolted all the visions back into my own brain. No longer a diversified consciousness, my senses blacked out from overload.

            I opened my eyes. The shadow Doctor and the witches stood around me. "Oh, my head!" I groaned. "Definition of head injury is as follows." Then, I reached out and tried to smack him.

 He evaded the half-hearted attack and laughed. "Yup, she's fine," he announced. There was a cheer from the crowd. He picked me up off the ground and held me up as I found my legs. "How did you do that?" He pointed at the sky. The blue canopy was filled with twenty-seven celestial bodies.

"Ten over Fourteen," I said. "She told me that was the answer."

"Who?"

"The TARDIS. Ten over Fourteen. The math doesn't lie. Sometimes, it takes a woman," I repeated. The other witches laughed at the Doctor.

"Doctor," interrupted a witch. "First line, ten beats. Second line, fourteen beats. Poetry in programming. I must say, we are rather impressed with your muggle-wuzzle." She smiled. "Although, perhaps you can explain what these new moons are?"

 "That I can explain." The Doctor nodded. "Your planet is, now, one second out of sync with the rest of the universe. You are completely invisible and undetectable. Those moons are the engine that keeps you safe."

 "I did good?" I asked.

"You were epic," replied the shadow man. He grabbed me and kissed the top of my helmet. I laughed at him; older brother, indeed.

"So, how did we get here? Back on the planet?" I asked. "I don't remember much of anything."

"Later," whispered the Doctor.

 

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