Rise of the Cybermen

Kirito and Asuna's house…

"So, we're gonna come with you this time." Nora said, running up to Jared. "What will happen?"

"Oh, we're gonna encounter metal men. Who kills people by shocking them." Jared said, happily. "And those metal men hide their emotions because it hurts."

"Now that's what I call fun. When are we gonna go to the TARDIS?"

"Technically we are in the TARDIS." Ren said, crossing his arms. "Physically at least. But mentally, we're here."

"Right. But what are these creatures called? That we're facing."

"Cybermen." Jared said, smiling. "That's what they're called."

"Iron Men sounds way cooler!" Nora said, excitedly. "For those metal men."

"I know, right? Anyway, want to go to Warframe with me and do an Assassination mission?"

"Us killing someone? They're just NPCs. We can handle them."

Mercury…

"This guy is tough." Nora said, holding her Magnhild. "We can handle him."

"Nora!" Jared said, taking out his dual pistols from Splatoon 2 and he inserted an electric dust pack into them. "Ready?"

"Of course I am!" Nora said, and Jared shot her with a bit of electric dust, with the ginger now all charged up. "Let's do this!"

"Right." Ren said, running towards the captain they're up against and he began shooting him with StormFlower. "How do we beat this guy?"

"Just slash him like no tomorrow." Jared said, wiping his forehead. "Nora, knock him out."

"Got it." Nora said, launching the commander to the side with her Magnhild, knocking him out. "Now what?"

"I could go for some burger and fries."

"Maybe we can have some coffee too."

"No coffee!" Ren said, angrily. "You can have some pancakes."

"You're no fun!"

Tardis…

"And that weird munchkin lady with the big eyes? Do you remember? The way she looked at you! And then she opens her mouth and fire comes out!" The Doctor said, laughing with Rose.

"I thought I was going to get frazzled!" Rose said, recalling what happened.

"Yeah. One minute she's standing there, and the next minute roar!"

"Yeah. Where was that, then? What happened?" Mickey asked, holding a button.

"Oh, it was on this er, this er planet thing. Asteroid. It's a long story, you had to be there. Er, what're you doing that for?"

"Because you told me to."

"He forgot about Mickey." Nora said, eating some pancakes. "Like really? Who forgets about a guy like him?"

"Rose forgot about Mickey." Ren said, crossing his arms. "When she went off traveling with the Doctor across time and space."

"Right, and what will happen here?"

"Oh, we'll leave this universe." Jared said, laughing a lot. "In a couple minutes now."

"How can we leave the universe?"

"We just do."

"That's not a good answer." Ren said, when the time rotor blows up. "What just happened?"

"What's happened?" Rose asked.

"The time vortex is gone. That's impossible. It's just gone. Brace yourself! We're going to crash!" The Doctor said, terrified.

The Tardis comes to a sudden stop, and gas masks drop from the ceiling. The power is off.

"Everyone all right? Rose? Mickey? Jared? Ren? Nora?" The Doctor asked.

"Now that was a bumpy ride." Ren said, pulling Nora off the ground. "Why is there no light here?"

"She's dead. The Tardis is dead." The Doctor said, sadly.

"Well, you can fix it." Ren said, walking over to the Doctor with StormFlower. "You're the Doctor, you can fix anything."

"There's nothing to fix. She's perished. The last Tardis in the universe. Extinct."

"We can get help!" Nora said, happily. "It's not like we're stuck somewhere."

"Where can we get help from?"

"Well, we've landed. We've got to be somewhere." Rose said, showing a glimmer of hope.

"We fell out of the vortex, through the void, into nothingness. We're in some sort of no place. The silent realm. The lost dimension."

"We can get help from the lost dimension." Jared said, opening the TARDIS doors. "Which is London, England, Earth. The year is 2007, this is brilliant. Come on!"

Lambeth Pier...

"London, England, Earth. Hold on." Mickey said, picking up a discarded newspaper. "First of February this year not exactly far flung, is it?"

"We're in London." Ren said, walking in between Nora and Jared. "But it feels different somehow."

"It is different." Jared said, drinking a cup of coffee. "And there's a big giveaway here."

"And what's that?"

"Ooo, there's zeppelins." Nora said, looking up at the massive airships pass overhead. "Why are there zeppelins?"

"We're in a parallel world." Jared said, enjoying his cup of coffee. "I like it. But not this one though."

"Why not?" Ren asked.

"Spoilers."

"What the hell?" Mickey asked, now looking up at the zeppelins.

"That's beautiful." Rose said, in awe.

"Okay, so it's London with a big international Zeppelin festival."

"Mickey, this is not your world." Jared said, excited for this adventure. "Or mine, or Ren and Nora's. We're not in our home universes."

"But if the date's the same, it's parallel, right? Am I right? Like a parallel Earth where they've got Zeppelins. Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?"

"You are right, but there is much more than that."

"So, a parallel world where…" Rose said, at a loss for words.

"Oh, come on. You've seen it on films. Like an alternative to our world where everything's the same but a little bit different, like, I don't know, traffic lights are blue, Tony Blair never got elected." Mickey said, smiling.

"And he's still alive." Rose said, staring at an advert for Vitex Lite, cherry flavour, starring Pete Tyler. "A parallel world and my dad's still alive."

"Pete died." Ren said, walking towards the advert. "You said he died."

"He did." Jared said, sadly.

"But how can he be alive?"

"It's a parallel world." Nora said, smiling. "Duh!"

"Yeah, that really doesn't help, Nora."

"He's a success. He was always planning these daft little schemes. Health food, drinks and stuff. Everyone said they were useless. But he did it." Rose said, recalling what happened with her dad.

"Rose, if you've ever trusted me, then listen to me now. Stop looking at it. Your father's dead. He died when you were six months old. That is not your Pete. That is a Pete. For all we know, he's got his own Jackie, his own Rose. His own daughter who is someone else, but not you. You can't see him. Not ever." The Doctor said.

"Trust me on this. Trust me on this. Trust me on this. Trust me on this." Pete said, on the advert.

The Tyler house...

Luxury Lexus PETE 1 crunches up the gravel driveway of a small mansion. Pete Tyler gets out of the driver's seat holding a bouquet, and goes inside.

"Hello? Sweetheart? Only me." Pete said.

Jackie comes down the staircase, "Oh, the bad penny. Was this your idea? Don't deny it. It's got your fingerprints all over it. Trust me on this. Oh, I can trust you all right. Trust you to cock it up."

"What have I done now?" Pete asked.

"Have a look." Jackie said.

Drawing room...

Servants are bustling about. A large banner is hung between two pillars - Happy 40th Birthday.

"What's wrong with that?" Pete asked.

"Forty. It says forty." Jackie said, angrily.

"You are forty."

"Well, I don't want the whole world telling, do I?"

"You're having a party tonight."

"My thirty ninth. My official biography says I was born on the same day as Cuba Gooding Junior, and that makes me thirty nine, thank you very much. Rose!"

Entrance hall...

Jackie calls up the stairs, "Come here, Rose!"

"These are from the girls in the office. Happy birthday." Pete said.

"I've got hand sculpted arrangements by Veronica of Reykjavik, and your secretary stopped off at a garage? I don't think so. And if you're giving out presents, where's my Zeppelin? Everyone else has got one." Jackie said, angrily. "Rose? Come on, Rose! Look, you didn't even notice, did you? Special delivery. Got sent round today." She is wearing a very bling bluetooth-like device in each ears. Pete's are quite ordinary by comparison. "Birthday present from Mister Lumic. Latest model. Diamond studded. Pick up signals from Venezuela."

"Why would you want to pick up signals from Venezuela?"

"Well, I don't know, but now I can find out. For God's sake, where is she? Rose? Oh, she needs a good bath before tonight. She's going to be honking. Rose, come to mummy!" Jackie said, when a tiny lap dog appears on the stairs. The blonde goes up to it. "Come on. There you are, my darling."

Pete's phone rings. He activates the earpiece.

"Mister Lumic! Jackie was just saying thank you." Pete said.

Lumic's Zeppelin...

"That's very kind of you." Pete said, his voice over the speaker.

Lumic does not wear his own product.

"Those ear pods are handmade. Tell her to take care." Lumic said.

Entrance hall...

"Course I will, course I will. I don't suppose you'd be joining us tonight for the party? We'd be very honoured." Pete said, happily.

Lumic's Zeppelin...

"The world below can party. Some of us have work to do." Lumic said. "My plans have advanced, Peter. The President has promised a decision. I'm flying in now. We'll be at the airstrip by five o'clock."

"Right." Pete said, his voice over the speakers.

Entrance hall...

"It's just that I promised I'd help the wife out tonight." Pete said.

Lumic's Zeppelin...

"If the President of Great Britain can make this meeting, then so can you." Lumic said.

Entrance hall...

"Oh, I don't know. He's not married to Jackie, is he." Pete said.

Lumic's Zeppelin...

"Five o'clock, Mister Tyler. Famous day." Lumic said, and the conversation ends. He takes a breath from his oxygen tank, and talks to his computer screen. "Voice print access, John Lumic. Initiate ear pod override. Subject Jacqueline Tyler."

Jackie is in her bedroom, sitting at her dressing table and powdering herself.

"Activate." Lumic said, when Jackie is powdering her face at her dressing table when her face goes blank. Rods come out of the ear pods and meet above her head, Cyberman-style. "Download Tyler residence, February the first. Give me security arrangements for tonight. Passwords, encryptions, services."

The data is downloaded to Lumic's computer.

"And restore." Lumic said, and the earpods return to normal and Jackie carries on with her makeup. "Thank you, Mister Tyler. Activate picture link. Mister Crane?"

"Mister Lumic?" Crane asked, on screen.

"Events are moving faster than I anticipated. I need extra staff."

"Very good, sir."

Lorry cab...

Crane is in the passenger seat of an articulated lorry. "I shall go on a recruitment drive. Back her up."

Tardis…

"I told you lot to keep an eye on her." The Doctor said, annoyed.

"Rose is okay, she is with Nora." Jared said, entering the TARDIS with Ren and Mickey. "Those two can look after each other.

"They go wandering off. Parallel world, it's like a gingerbread house. All those temptations calling out."

"Oh, so it's just Rose and Nora, then? Nothing out there to tempt me, Jared, and Ren?" Mickey asked.

"Well, I don't know, I can't worry about everything. If I could just get this thing to…" The Doctor said, kicking the console.

"He shouldn't have kicked that." Ren said, when Jared started laughing. "You're sure leaving Nora with Rose was a good idea."

"Positive." Jared said, going back to drinking his coffee. "The only things that would tempt Nora is coffee and waffles."

"I'm more concerned about Nora drinking coffee."

"So am I, Ren."

Embankment…

Rose and Nora sit on a bench and watches the Thames, as Zeppelin propellers thrum above. There are lots of them. Air traffic control must be grateful they move so slowly.

One passes overhead, barely missing the rooftop, then Rose's phone beeps.

"Ooo, your phone got a message." Nora said, sliding towards Rose. "What does it say?"

"Cybus Network?" Rose asked, looking down a the message from the Cybus Network that says: Welcome! Free Trial Period. "What's that?"

"I don't know." Nora said, and the two girls look at IE24 News. "News. Booooriiiing!"

"And it's good news for Great Britain as John Lumic returns to the country of his birth. Mister Lumic, the inventor of high content metal, has denied allegations of ill health." The newsreader said, on the phone.

"We're all flesh and blood, but the brain is what makes us human. And my mind is more creative than ever." Lumic said, on the phone.

"With shares in Cybus Industries doubling in price, Mister Lumic is…"

"Why do those things have to be so loud?" Nora asked, when the Zeppelin continues to pass overhead, the noise from its rotors blocking out the newsreader's words. "We can barely hear what they're saying."

"In other news, the Torchwood Institute published a study claiming that…" The newsreader said, on the phone.

Tardis…

"We're not meant to be here. The Tardis draws it's power from the universe, but it's the wrong universe. It's like diesel in a petrol engine." The Doctor said.

"But I've seen it in comics. People go hopping from one alternative world to another. Like what Jared does on a daily basis to hang out with Teams RWBY and JNPR. It's easy." Mickey said.

"Not in the real world. It used to be easy. When the Time Lords kept their eye on everything, you could hop between realities, home in time for tea. Then they died, and took it all with them. The walls of reality closed, the worlds were sealed. Everything became that bit less kind." The Doctor said, frowning.

"So, how did we get here?" Ren asked.

"I don't know. Accident? Should've been impossible. Now we're trapped. What's that?" The Doctor asked, looking down at a tiny green light.

"What?" Mickey asked.

"That, there. Is that a reflection? It's a light! Is it? Is that a light? I think that's a light. That's all we need. We've got power! You guys, we've got power! Ha!"

Embankment…

"Nora, why did you want to come with us?" Rose asked, looking over at Nora. "You and Ren."

"I don't know, really." Nora said, smiling. "Jared wanted us to come. To defeat something. We must be handy."

"I get that you getting an electrical charge makes you more powerful. And Ren can cancel out negative emotions. But why?"

"Why what?"

"Out of all the people Jared wanted with us today, he chose you two. Is he hiding something? Did he tell you something?"

"All I know is that he didn't want us to reveal any spoilers to you, the Doctor, and Mickey today."

"I really hate him sometimes." Rose said, angrily. "I do, as much as that handsome idiot with really great hair."

"So, did you find anything about your dad on there?" Nora asked, looking down at Rose's phone.

"Not yet, but I'm planning to."

"Maybe you should go and see him."

"I could. But the Doctor said not to."

"Just do it. You know you want to."

"I will. I'll do what my heart tells me."

"You'll fit right in."

Tardis...

The Doctor has got down below the main part of the console, "It's alive!"

"So, what is it?" Ren asked, looking down at the Doctor.

"It's nothing. It's tiny. One of those insignificant little power cells that no one ever bothers about, and it's clinging onto life, with one little ounce of reality tucked away inside." The Doctor said.

"That's good. Really good." Jared said, holding his cup of Starbucks coffee. "Is it enough power to get you, Mickey, and Rose home?"

"Not yet. I need to charge it up."

"Well, we can go and use up some Aura." Ren said, coming up with an idea.

"Or we could go outside and lash it up to the National Grid." Mickey said.

"Wrong sort of energy. It's got to come from our universe." The Doctor said.

"But we don't have anything."

"There's me." The Doctor said, cradling the green light in his hands and blows on it. It gets brighter. "I just gave away ten years of my life. Worth every second."

Embankment…

"This can be easy for you." Nora said, watching Rose use her free trial to search for Peter Tyler on the Cybus Network. "It's just a quick internet search."

Tardis...

"It's going out. Is that okay?" Mickey asked.

"It's on a recharging cycle. It'll loop round, power back up and be ready to take us home in, oo, twenty four hours?" The Doctor asked.

"So that gives us twenty four hours on a parallel world?"

"Shore leave. As long as we keep our heads down. Easy. No problem. Let's go and tell them."

Embankment…

The Doctor has the power cell with him, "There you are. You all right? No applause. I fixed it. Twenty four hours, then we're flying back to reality. What is it?"

"My phone connected. There's this Cybus Network. It finds your phone. It gave me Internet access." Rose said, holding her phone in her hands.

"Rose, whatever it says, this is the wrong world." The Doctor said.

"I don't exist."

"What do you mean?"

"There's no Rose Tyler. I was never born. There's Pete, my dad, and Jackie. He still married mum but they never had kids."

"Give me that phone."

"They're rich. They've got a house and cars, and everything they want. But they haven't got me. I've got to see him."

"Nora, you told her." Ren said, looking over at Nora.

"I did not!" Nora said, annoyed.

"You did, didn't you?"

"So, she wants to see her parents. It's not a big deal."

"Parallel world." Jared said, smiling. "It is kind of a big deal."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is."

"Well, I can do what I want. Come on, Ren." Mickey said, with Ren walking behind him.

"I've got the address and everything." Rose said, with Jared and Nora walking behind her. "And I have two people to keep an eye on me."

"Stay where you are, all of you. Rose, Jared, Nora, come back here! Mickey, Ren, come back here right now!" The Doctor said, angrily.

"So, we're seeing Pete and Jackie." Nora said, wrapping her arm around Jared's arm. "What will happen today?"

"Well, it is Jackie's birthday." Jared said, smiling. "She is forty years old."

"Wow, she's that old. How do we defeat these Cybermen again?"

"Spoilers."

"I'm sorry. I've got to go." Rose said, with Jared and Nora ahead of her.

"Go on, then. There's no choice, is there? You can only chase after one of us. It's never going to be me, is it?" Mickey asked, with Ren crossing his arms.

"Back here, twenty four hours!" The Doctor said, running after Rose, Nora, and Jared.

"Yeah. If I haven't found something better." Mickey said, scoffing.

Street 2…

"So, Rose and the Doctor." Nora said, walking next to Jared. "Why are they so close?"

"I guess you could say, they rose to the top." Jared said, coming up with another bad pun. "God, it feels so good doing that again."

"What, bad puns?"

"You could say that I'm pretty pun-ny and badass."

"Do you have any for Cybermen?"

"Cybermen? More like we're going cyber, man."

"That pun was really lame." Rose said, laughing a lot. "You favorite video game right now. Got any for that?"

"Super Smash Bros Ultimate? You could say that we're in for a smash jam packed time. That is rather, ultimate."

"That's not even remotely funny."

"Fine, you could say the Grimm rose to power."

"Is that a Hunger Games, reference?" The Doctor asked.

"Primrose, more like Grimm rose."

Street…

Mickey and Ren walk past a vacant lot and up to an army roadblock.

"Are we all right to get past?" Mickey asked.

"Yeah. No bother. Curfew doesn't start till ten." The soldier said.

"There's a curfew until 10 PM?" Ren asked, StormFlower in its holsters.

"Course there is. Where you been living, mates? Up there with the toffs?" The soldier asked, looking up at the Zeppelins.

"We wish. See you." Mickey said, walking away with Ren.

Street 2…

"Oh look, it's Cyber Steve the Terminator." Nora said, looking at the armed guards on patrol. "And his sidekick Captain Olimar."

"He is not Cyber Steve!" Jared said, when the Doctor has caught up to him, Rose, and Nora. "For the last time. God, why is this season filled with Daleks and Cybermen? Just to taunt me!"

"Mickey's mum just couldn't cope. His dad hung around for a while, but then he just sort of wandered off. He was brought up by his gran. She was such a great woman. God, she used to slap him! And then she died. She tripped and fell down the stairs. It's about five years ago now. I was still in school." Rose said, recapping Mickey's backstory.

"But Cyber Steve." Nora said, searching through Jared's backpack to get a thermos full of Starbucks Peppermint Mocha out of there. "Why don't you like Red Pikmin?"

"It's like Emile said, that joke has been done to death." Jared said, trying to grab his thermos back from Nora. "Like with Daleks and Cybermen. They're two enemies of the Doctor's that have been done to death."

"And Grimm and the White Fang aren't?"

"Nope, because I like defeating Grimm with my Monado."

"Me too, with my Magnhild." Nora said, when there is a beeping sound and everyone stops still, including the policeman. "Is that supposed to happen?"

"What're they all doing?" Rose asked.

"They've stopped." The Doctor said, when everyone's ear pod flashes. "It's the earpieces. Like Bluetooth attachments, but everyone's connected together."

"Time to check the Augma." Jared said, turning on the augmented reality headset, to see icons pop up on there. "Oh, automatic downloads."

"It's popping up on my Scroll too." Nora said, taking out her Scroll.

"And it's on my phone." Rose said, taking out her cell phone. "Is this what they're all getting? News, international news, sports, weather."

"They get it direct. Downloaded right into their heads." The Doctor said.

"TV schedules, lottery numbers."

"Everyone shares the same information. A daily download published by Cybus Industries."

The next download is Joke. The people laugh, then continue about their business.

"You lot, you're obsessed. You'd do anything for the latest upgrade." The Doctor said, looking between Rose, Jared, and Nora.

"Oi, not our lot. We're from three different worlds, remember." Rose said, offended.

"Rose, it's not so far off your world. And it's not so far off from Jared's world. This place is only parallel. Oh, look at that. Cybus Industries, owners of just about every company in Britain, including Vitex. Mister Pete Tyler's very well connected. Oh, okay. I give up. Let's go and see him."

Waterton Street SE15...

Mickey rattles the knocker on number 1, with Ren behind him. An old West Indian woman calls out from inside.

"Who's that there?" Rita Anne asked, when the door opens. The woman has a white stick, and a pair of ear pods. "Who is it? I know you're there. Shame on you, tricking an old lady. I've got nothing worth stealing. And don't think I'm going to disappear! You're not going to take me."

"Hi." Mickey said, happily.

"Is that you?"

"It's me. I came home."

"Ricky?"

"It's Mickey."

"I know my own grandson's name. It's Ricky. Now, come here." Rita Anne said, hugging Mickey.

"Okay, I'm Ricky. Of course I am. Ricky, that's me." Mickey said, and his grandmother slaps him. "Ow!"

"So Yui, how's Nora and Jared?" Ren asked, the augmented reality headset turned on his head. "Are they out of trouble?"

"They're just going to Pete Tyler's house with the Doctor and Rose." Yui said, closing her eyes for a moment to check. "They're in no danger whatsoever."

"That's good. But knowing the Doctor, they're gonna run into trouble anyway."

"Yeah, they are."

"Well, you get it fixed for me." Rita Anne said, looking at Mickey.

"I should have done way back. I guess I'm just kind of useless." Mickey said, sadly.

"Now, I never said that."

"I am, though. And I'm sorry, gran. I'm so sorry."

"Ren, there's a van approaching." Yui said, floating up a bit to see what's going on.

"What van?" Ren asked, looking around.

"I don't know. They look creepy."

"How could you not know?"

"I just don't."

"What van's that, then?" Mickey asked.

"You know full well! Don't play games with me." Rita Anne said, angrily.

The van that does a handbrake turn in the road behind them.

"Get inside."

Jake jumps out of the van and grabs Mickey with Ren walking towards the van, "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Jake pushes Mickey into the van and they drive off.

"Ricky! Ricky!" Rita Anne said, terrified.

Van...

"Ricky, you were the one who told us you don't contact your family because it puts them in danger." Jake said.

"Yeah. Ricky said that. Course I did, just testing." Mickey said, at a loss for words.

"Ricky." Ren said, with Yui sitting on his shoulder. "It's always been Mickey."

"Yeah." Yui said, smiling. "Why did he change his name?"

"I don't think he did. It's a parallel world."

"Yes. So, mommy and daddy are okay that you guys need me?"

"We like having you."

"Bad news is, they've arrested Thin Jimmy. So that just leaves you Ricky." Moore said.

"Leaves me what?" Mickey asked.

"The Number One. Top of the list. London's Most Wanted." Jake said.

"Okay, cool. Say that again?"

Kirito and Asuna's house...

"So, what did you find out about Lumic?" Nora asked, looking between Ren and Yui.

"That he owns Cybus Industries." Ren said, drinking his cup of tea. "I'm in this van right now with Mickey. We're on our way to somewhere."

"You're heading towards this building." Jared said, drinking another cup of tea. "Where you'll encounter Ricky."

"Ricky? The guy who's on London's Most Wanted."

"London's Most Wanted for parking tickets."

"Now that's funny!" Nora said, laughing a lot. "I'd say that he really had it coming for him. If those tickets kept piling up."

"Yeah, he did."

"But a van. How do they travel around in that?" Ren asked.

"They just do." Jared said, smiling. "Yui, what's going on with Lumic? Can you hack into their cameras?"

"His zeppelin?" Yui asked, sitting on Jared's shoulder. "I think I can. And what else do you want me to hack into?"

"Oh, this control room where the Cybermen are. This factory of some kind."

Lumic's Zeppelin...

"Thank you, sir." Pete said, leaving the room.

"Mister Crane?" Lumic asked.

"Ready and waiting, sir." Crane said, on screen.

"Did the override work?"

"Well, needs a bit of fine tuning. We weren't exactly delicate, given the rush, but…"

Control room…

"Yeah, yeah. It's all working. I've been testing the system, sir." Crane said, and a row of homeless men have flashing ear pods on. "They've grafted on a treat, these have. Given a little persuasion. If you care to observe, sir." He uses a remote control. "And turn to the right. And back to the left."

The men obey.

"Are you having fun, Mister Crane?" Lumic asked, on screen.

"Oh, no, no, not at all, sir no. It's just, well, it's irresistible." Crane said, happily.

"Then resist, and start the upgrade."

"Did we get permission?"

"I am governed by greater laws, old friend. The right of a man to survive. Now begin!"

"And turn to the left. Forward march." Crane said, when the controlled men walk off through a door. Screaming starts. "Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's cover up that noise. Er, give us track number nineteen."

Wimoweh - The Lion Sleeps Tonight plays through the speakers. We are given glimpses of slashing blades and cutting wheels and a large industrial complex which zooms out to reveal it is the Battersea Power Station.

Street…

Night.

"There's a light on. There's someone inside the base. Missis Moore, we've got visitors." Jake said, as he and Moore have a gun. "One, two, three, go!"

Base…

"I'm not the one going crazy here." Ren said, looking at a familiar figure in the room. "This is freaky."

Mickey's jaw hits the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ricky asked.

"What're you doing there?" Jake asked.

"What am I doing here? What am I doing there?" Ricky asked.

Jake and Mrs Moore turn their guns on Mickey and Ren. While Ren has his StormFlower aimed at Jake and Mrs Moore.

(Jared's POV)

Outside the Tyler House…

A stretched limo drives past the Doctor, Rose, Nora, and me.

"Talk about another party." Nora said, happily.

"I like this." I said, taking out my bracelet, and pressing a button on it to change my outfit from a hoodie and jeans to a suit and tie. "I love parties."

"They've got visitors." The Doctor said.

"February the first. Mum's birthday. Even in a parallel universe, she still loves a party." Rose said.

"Well, given Pete Tyler's guest list, I wouldn't mind a look. And there is one guaranteed way of getting inside." The Doctor said, taking out his psychic paper.

"Psychic paper."

"Who do you want to be?"

"Do you have an extra?" I asked, and the Doctor handed me an extra psychic paper. "Thanks. Now come along, Nora."

"Where are we going?" Nora asked, while I tossed her another bracelet. "I want to know so bad."

"Change into something pretty. That bracelet has another feature, it comes with electrical charges on a cycle."

"Is this only for today?"

"Yup."

Tyler house…

I'm eating some finger food with Nora around the first floor of the house. I looked over to see the Doctor and Rose carry trays of canapes and champagne for the guests scattered through the floor.

"Okay, we're in as Sir Jared and Dame Nora of Beacon." I said, tossing a mince pie into my mouth. "That was much easier than I thought."

"I feel bad for those two." Nora said, as we're walking towards the Doctor and Rose. "They're servers, while we're guests."

"You're in charge of one of the psychic papers. We could've been guests. Celebrities. Sir Doctor, Dame Rose. Jared and Nora got in as celebrities. The both of us ended up serving. Did enough of this back home." Rose said, annoyed.

"If you want to know what's going on, work in the kitchens. According to Lucy, that man over there…" The Doctor said, looking over at one of the waitresses.

"So, who's Lucy?" Nora asked.

"She's carrying the salmon pinwheels."

"Oh, that's Lucy, is it?" Rose asked.

"Yeah. Lucy says, that is the President of Great Britain." The Doctor said, looking over at a black man.

"What, there's a President, not a Prime Minister?"

"Seems so."

"Or maybe Lucy's just a bit thick."

Pete is standing on the staircase, "Excuse me! Thank you very much. Thank you if I could just have your attention, please?"

"So, that's Rose's dad." Nora said, eating some buttermilk pancakes. "He looks cool."

"He is cool." I said, snacking on some jelly babies. "He does everything for his family."

"Where's Rose then? Why just Jackie?"

"They didn't want any kids."

"Jackie and Pete, they look like they fight a lot." Yui said, standing my my shoulder. "Why?"

"They're like Kirito and Asuna. They may fight a lot, but they love each other deeply."

"Love is complicated to understand."

Jackie makes her entrance in skin tight black to general applause, "Now, I'm not giving a speech. That's what my parties are famous for. No work, no politics, just a few good mates and plenty of black market whisky. Pardon me, Mister President. So, yeah, get on with it. Enjoy, enjoy."

"You can't stay. Even if there was some way of telling them." The Doctor said, looking over at Rose.

"Course I can't. I've still got Mum at home. My real mum. I couldn't just leave her, could I. It's just, they've got each other. Mum's got no one." Rose said, thinking about her Jackie.

"She's got you. Those two haven't. All these different worlds, not one of them gets it right."

"Rose! There's my little girl! Come to mummy, come to mummy!" Jackie said, picking up the dog. "Yes, good girl! Good girl, aren't you?"

The Doctor and Jared laugh.

"Sorry." The Doctor said, sadly.

(Open POV)

Loading bay...

"Platoon zero two now boarding. Platoon zero two now boarding." A Cyberman said.

Heavy metal boots clump across the tarmac to the waiting lorries.

"Stop staring." Crane said.

"What are they, sir?" A driver asked.

"I'm told they're the future. Ain't technology wonderful? Go on, get in the cab. Start her up."

"Sir."

Crane's phone rings.

"Mister Crane, are we mobile?" Lumic asked, his voice coming out of the phone.

"Just about to hit the road, sir. And yourself?" Crane asked.

"I'm arriving, Mister Crane. Prepare the factory. Now, send them forth, old friend. Let the good work begin."

Base...

Under a splendid 18th century painted ceiling, Mickey has been stripped and tied to a chair, and is being carefully scanned.

"Mickey and Ricky." Ren said, crossing his arms. "When I thought we saw it all with the Doctor."

"We haven't!" Yui said, happily. "I wonder if we'll see so much more."

"Maybe. I don't know."

"What is Jared and Nora doing?"

"They're partying." Yui said, closing her eyes for a moment to check.

"A party? Didn't we just have a dance?"

"Be fair. What else could it be?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. But he doesn't just look like me, he is exactly the same. There's something else going on here, Jake." Ricky said.

"So, who are you lot?" Mickey asked.

"We? We are the Preachers. As in Gospel Truth. You see? No ear plugs. While the rest of the world downloads from Cybus Industries, we, we have got freedom. You're talking to London's Most Wanted, but target Number One is Lumic, and we are going to bring him down."

"From your kitchen?"

"Have you got a problem with that?"

"No, it's a good kitchen."

"It's an upload from Gemini." Moore said, looking at a laptop screen.

"Well, who's Gemini?" Ren asked, looking at the Preachers.

"The vans are back. They're moving out of Battersea. Looks like Gemini was right. Lumic's finally making a move."

"And we are right behind him. Pack up, we're leaving." Ricky said.

The lorry drives past the base, and the van follows it. Everyone except Mickey and Yui checks their weapons, machine guns etc.

The Tyler's house…

The Doctor sneaks off and finds a working laptop. Jared is playing some Super Smash Bros Ultimate on the Nintendo Switch with Nora. Rose watches Jackie laughing with the President. Pete comes up to her.

"When do the Cybermen come?" Nora asked, knocking Jared's character off the field. "We've been waiting for hours."

"Soon." Jared said, happily.

"How soon?"

"Not that long, Nora."

"For her. Still, she's happy." Pete said, smiling.

"She should be. It's a great party." Rose said.

"Do you think?"

"You can trust me."

"You can trust me on this."

"That's it, sorry. So, how long have you two been married?"

"How do you take down a Cyberman?" Nora asked, looking over at Jared.

"An electromagnetic pulse." Jared said, knocking Nora's character off the battlefield. "That's how."

"But cyber. That means they're computers. Do they get upgrades?"

"They do. Which is bad for us."

"Thirty nine." Pete said.

"Oh, right. Thirty nine." Rose said.

"It's still too late. I moved out last month, but we're going to keep it quiet. You know, it's bad for business. Why am I telling you all this? We haven't met before, have we? I don't know, you just seem sort of…"

"What?"

"I don't know. Just sort of right. Stevie! How's things? How's it going at Torchwood?" Pete asked, walking away from Rose.

Outside the Tyler's house…

Ricky and Jake are hiding in the bushes, reporting in on a walkie-talkie.

"I don't know what they're doing, but this seems to be the target. Big house, fair bit of money. Now we have got to find a way to get in." Ricky said.

Van…

"I've identified the address. It belongs to Peter Tyler, the Vitex millionaire." Moore said.

"Pete Tyler." Ren said, looking over at Yui. "Rose's dad."

"Rose is in there with Jared and Nora." Yui said, smiling. "Jared has his Augma on, and the Cardinal software is on the bracelet he gave Nora."

"But…" Mickey said.

Outside the Tyler's house…

"We've got to get in there." Mickey said, his voice over the speaker.

"Now, shut it, duplicate. That's what I just said." Ricky said, when a ramp is dropped down from the back of the lorry. "What are they doing?" Heavy feet march down the ramp and onto the gravel. "What the hell are they?"

Office…

The Doctor has found Lumic's presentation on the laptop.

"Ooo, a video presentation." Nora said, entering the room. "What's it about?"

"The most precious thing on this Earth is the human brain…" Lumic said, his voice coming out of the computer.

Patio...

Jackie has gone outside to sit down.

"Missis Tyler, is there anything I can get you?" Rose asked.

"The last twenty years back." Jackie said.

"I can manage a glass of champagne or a nice cup of tea?"

"Oh, that'd do me."

Rose sits next to Jackie, "My mum loves that. End of a long night she never goes straight to bed, she always stays up just to have that last cup of tea."

"Oh, I'm the same." Jackie said, happily.

"Two sugars." Rose said.

"And me. Pete always says, you know. Ah, never mind him."

"I was talking to him earlier. He's a nice man. You know, bit of a Jack the Lad, I suppose, even if he has got money, but he's a good bloke. Better than most. He's worth a second chance."

"Are you commenting on my marriage?"

"No, I was just…"

"Who the hell do you think you are? You're staff. You're nothing but staff. You're just the serving girl, for God's sake. And you are certainly not getting paid. Don't you dare talk to me." Jackie said, going back inside the house.

"Crap." Jared said, running outside to see floodlights come on, backlighting rows of marching figures, dainty as elephants. "Rose, inside now!"

Office...

"This is the ultimate upgrade. Our greatest step into cyberspace." Lumic said, his voice coming out of the computer.

"Cybers..." The Doctor said.

"Cybermen." Nora said, looking back at the Doctor. "Jared told Ren and me about them today. This is bad, from what he said."

(Jared's POV)

Drawing room…

The Doctor, Rose, Nora, and I met up and went to the window.

"It's happening again." The Doctor said.

"Which isn't good for us." I said, holding Nora's hand. "We can't survive them."

"Only I can." Nora said, happily. "I can survive their electrical shock."

"What are they?" Rose asked.

"Cybermen." The Doctor said, when the Cybermen smash through a series of French windows in the other wall.

"There's too many of them." Nora said, when other Cybermen march in through the house. "How do we take them out?"

"We can't." I said, when the guests are surrounded. "We're outnumbered Nora."

The President's telephone rings, "Mister Lumic."

(Open POV)

Control room...

"Mister President. I suppose a remark about crashing the party would be appropriate at this point." Lumic said.

Drawing room...

"I forbade this." The president said.

Control room...

"These are my children, sir. Would you deny my family?" Lumic asked.

Drawing room...

"What are they, robots?" Rose asked.

"Worse than that." The Doctor said.

"Who were these people?" The president asked.

Control room...

"Doesn't matter." Lumic said.

(Jared's POV)

Drawing room...

"They're people?" Rose asked.

"They were, until they had all their humanity taken away. That's a living brain jammed inside a cybernetic body, with a heart of steel. All emotions removed." The Doctor said.

"Why don't they have any emotions?" Nora asked, holding her Magnhild.

"Because it hurts." I said, sadly.

"I demand to know, Lumic. These people, who were they?" The president asked.

"They were homeless, and wretched and useless, until I saved them, and elevated them, and gave them life eternal. And now I leave you in their capable hands. Goodnight, sir. Goodnight, Mister President." Lumic said, his voice coming out of the ear pods.

"We have been upgraded." A Cyberman said.

"What have you been upgraded to?" Nora asked, walking towards the Cyberman.

"The next level of mankind. We are Human point two. Every citizen will receive a free upgrade. You will become like us."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what's been done to you, but listen to me. This experiment ends tonight." The president said.

"He's gonna die." I said, looking over at Nora and Yui. "And we can't save him."

"What can I do?" Nora asked, looking over at me.

"Get an electrical charge."

"How?"

"Just think of something." Yui said, happily. "I know you can!"

"What happens if I refuse?" The president asked.

"Then you are not compatible." The Cyberman said.

"What happens then?"

"You will be deleted." The Cyberman said, putting his hand on the President's neck, and electrocutes him.

"Yeah, we have to go." I said, grabbing Nora, and we ran away. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Can we stop them?" Yui asked, when the Doctor and Rose are behind us.

"Not now." I said, hearing the guests scream as they get grabbed and killed.

"Jackie! Jackie!" Pete said, terrified.

Outside the Tyler house…

The Doctor, Rose, Nora, and I jump through a window.

"There's nothing we can do." I said, looking at Nora and Yui. "Not here, and not now."

"You said I can get an electrical charge from them to knock them out." Nora said, smiling. "That's what you said."

"Not while we're surrounded. You can't take out a whole squad of Cybermen. Now, come on!"

"I think I can handle them." Nora said, when a row of Cybermen stopped us from running across the lawn.

"You were saying?" I asked, and we turned back and ran around the side of the house as Pete comes out through the window. "It's Pete!"

"Quick! Quick!" Rose said, trying to get the attention of her dad.

Pete follows the Doctor, Rose, Nora, and I.

"How about Jackie?" Nora asked, when Jackie runs down into the cellar. "We can't just leave her!"

"She's dead." I said, when a Cyberman follows Jackie carefully. "I know what's happening in there."

It's feet are twice as big as the steps.

"Pete, is there a way out?" Nora asked, looking at Pete.

"The side gates. Who are you? How do you know so much?" Pete asked.

"You wouldn't believe it in a million years." The Doctor said, when more Cybermen cut us off.

Three armed figures come running across the lawn in front of the floodlights.

"Ren!" Nora said, turning her Magnhild into its gun form.

"Nora." Ren said, as he is shooting out bullets out of StormFlower. "You're safe. Now Jared, get behind us!"

"Right." I said, when Nora, Ren, Ricky, and Jake open fire on the Cybermen, but the bullets just bounce off. "Crap."

"How do we beat those things?" Ren asked, when the Cybermen stop.

"Oh my God, look at you." Rose said, hugging Ricky. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Yeah. No offence, sweetheart, but who the hell are you?" Ricky asked.

"Rose! That's not me. That's like the other one." Mickey said, running up to Rose.

"Oh, as if things weren't bad enough, there's two Mickey's." The Doctor said, happily.

"It's Ricky." Ricky said, annoyed.

"But there's more of them." Mickey said, terrified.

"We're surrounded." Rose said.

"Put the guns down. Bullets won't stop them." The Doctor said, when Jake starts shooting, but the Time Lord stops him. "No! Stop shooting, now. We surrender! Hands up. There's no need to damage us. We're good stock. We volunteer for the upgrade program. Take us to be processed."

"You brought us up against Cybermen." Ren said, placing his StormFlower inside its holster. "Why?"

"Because I'm saving England 1950s for Kirito and Asuna." I said, smiling. "And the Devil for Blake and Yang."

"You're gonna meet the Devil." Nora said, laughing. "He can't be real."

"Well, he is."

"You will be deleted." The Cyberman said.

"But we're surrendering! Listen to me, we surrender!" The Doctor said, angrily.

"You are inferior. Man will be reborn as Cyberman, but you will perish under maximum deletion." The Cyberman said, as he and the rest of the Cybermen hold out their deadly arms towards us. "Delete. Delete. Delete!"