The Mercury Room Chronicles- Generations- Chapter13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN ADD A PIECE ‘Oooh, things are really heating up now!’ Raljex said gleefully as he flitted between the viewing portholes into the two games. ‘Enough torment for you is there?’ The Thirteenth Dr. spat bitterly. ‘Oh, plenty,’ Raljex said evenly. ‘You of all people should appreciate it.’ ‘It appears I’ve lost my taste for violence and confrontation,’ The Thirteenth Dr. replied. ‘You of all people should appreciate that.’ ‘Hey, what’s goin’ on over here then?’ The Tenth Dr. burped, barging between the two to look into the second game that was now well under way. ‘How’s Ninth doing?’ The Thirteenth Dr. questioned as he made his way over to the porthole that showed the Exploding Ker-Plunk scenario. ‘They’re both doing appallingly,’ The Fifth Manager tutted ruefully. ‘Though, yours is still much worse than ours,’ he grinned. ‘How are you coping with all of this?’ The Thirteenth Dr. whispered in the ear of his First incarnation as they watched The Psygoats remove another pole that sent the bouncing bombs careening about the game room. All of the participants inside ran for cover, hugging the walls as more of the floor disappeared. ‘To be honest,’ The First Dr. replied. ‘I’m pretty nervous.’ ‘I’m guessing that’s the understatement of the eon,’ The Thirteenth Dr. smiled. ‘Just about,’ First nodded. ‘I knew Mister Martin was an arsehole, but I never thought he’d become my arch enemy. I mean, I used to fuck around in his class at The Academy, but we all did, none of us thought it was a subject we’d need.’ ‘If it helps,’ Thirteenth replied smoothly. ‘You never will.’ ‘See!’ First exclaimed happily. ‘I knew it!’ ‘Of course,’ Thirteenth went on. ‘You’ll forget everything you learn here when you’re sent back.’ ‘If I get sent back,’ First said quietly. ‘Well, let’s put thinking like that on the back burner, kiddo,’ Thirteenth coughed. ‘We’ve still got a long way to go.’ He glared purposefully at Raljex. ‘And the ride’s not going to be pleasant.’ ‘I know,’ First said, sharing the glare. ‘I hate that we’ve had to come crawling to Raljex for help. I hate everything he stands for.’ ‘Well, I’m surprised he’s helping us at all,’ The Fourth, Allucian Dr. said as he ambled over, planting his hands deep in the pockets of his suit jacket. ‘Afterall, it was us who helped release all the Videos from the Vault.’ ‘Mister Martin was there too,’ First shrugged. ‘It’s probably why Raljex is having so much fun drawing this out and putting your friends in danger. Whichever one of us wins, he gets to destroy one of the people who wrecked his masterplan.’ ‘How are you holding up anyhow?’ Fourth asked First. ‘Had any run-ins yet?’ ‘It’s been terrifying!’ First whispered hoarsely. ‘The Forceful Involvement Device won’t let me go anywhere nice. I’ve had to run for my life every time! K-Y’s no help either, he just sits around sulking, saying how he hates being a boy … truth be told, I think he might be defective.’ ‘You have no idea,’ Thirteenth chuckled, just before another massive explosion rocked the first game. ‘Ah-ha!’ The Twelfth Manager snickered. ‘The Monkey nearly got his devious little head blown off.’ ‘I’m so glad to see you’re enjoying yourself,’ The Twelfth Dr. remarked coolly. ‘You laugh at the perils of those who are meant to be assisting you.’ ‘The Monkey is nothing to me,’ The Twelfth Manager sneered. ‘A tool that we discarded when his limited usefulness ran out.’ ‘You sicken me, cretin,’ The Twelfth Dr. snorted and turned his attention back to the game.

* ‘Steady now … steady now … steady …’ ‘SHUT UP!’ Will-ko said through gritted teeth to CAD who had been hissing unhelpfully. The young wizard flexed the tired muscles in his wand-arm and continued to concentrate as hard as he could. Mooney needed as much help as he could be given at this stage. Every pole removed was guaranteed to let loose one of the bombs. The Moderators wings were getting tired at having to hold so much weight alone and Will-ko was trying to steady the log as best he could with his own magic. CAD swore his limited wrath was helping too, but Will-ko didn’t see how. The pair of them eased out the pole that a combined contingent of Welshy, Asawin and The Dr. had decided upon. There was no way that it could be removed without incident, but the three deliberators came to the conclusion that it would be minimal damage. The Dr. was getting worried, there was very little floor left in the room now, only the open sea looked back at them where the ground had once been. The explosives in the orbs were indeed dangerously powerful; the Titanic’s hull was incredibly thick when it was built. If one of them happened to be close enough to one when it went off, then it would be curtains. The pole slid out slowly, Mooney’s grunts and groans growing in pitch as he was forced to burden more and more of the weight. As he pulled one of the explosives dropped down the shaft and bounced across the small circle of floor that was yet undisturbed, bounding across the gap, right towards the wall where The Dr. and the Allucians had been forced to huddle together. ‘Kwong-juh duh,’ The Ninth Dr. commented as it seemed the orb was on a collision course, heading straight for him. This couldn’t be how he eventually Degenerated, hit in the face by an exploding Ker-Plunk ball. He’d died in some spectacular ways up until now. Electrocuted with the full force of a Darlin’ super-computer circuit, beaten to a bloody pulp by a misguided bounty hunter out for revenge, radiated to death in the blast that killed every last Video Lord and Darlin’ in existence aside from himself and Nigel, there had been some pretty extravagant demises. This one wouldn’t really be one he’d remember with any kind of fondness, there was no honour in it, nothing that would class it as a defining incident; he’d be a laughing stock. Then again, it would explain why Tenth had become and alcoholic. The Dr. fished in his pockets for his Bionic Screwdriver, it was jammed into his inside pocket. His leather jacket didn’t have pockets big enough to happily accommodate the tool, so it was stuck in tight and had to be carefully manoeuvred to extricate it. He didn’t really have time for careful removal or … BOOM! The Orb exploded mid-flight, throwing the Allucians back against the wall, but otherwise doing no harm to them. ‘Mother of god,’ The Dr. breathed quietly to himself, looking down the line of members to where Jazz was whistling to himself in a satisfied manner. ‘You’re welcome,’ Jazz said haughtily, as he dropped the second wrench he’d plucked from the floor to aim at the approaching orbs. ‘You are very lucky that Jazz is such a quick thinker. You’re lucky Jazz can keep a clear head in pressure situations. You’re very lucky that Jazz is such a good shot when it comes to throwing wrenches.’ ‘Yeah, yes we are, thanks Jazz,’ The Dr. nodded appreciatively. ‘Wow,’ he said, pulling his Bionic Screwdriver out and positioning it in a better pocket, just in case. ‘Never thought I’d say those words.’ ‘Feel a chill run through your whole body?’ Devil’s Arcade asked simply. ‘Yeah,’ The Dr. nodded in agreement. ‘That’s just what it was like.’ ‘Jazz is insulted by your lack of appreciation overall,’ Jazz humphed. ‘I said thank you,’ The Dr. frowned. ‘Ha!’ Jazz scoffed. ‘That’s not gratitude; you should be worshipping at my feet and telling the world of Jazz’s awesomeness.

The Dr. scowled and turned his attention back to Will-ko and Mooney. ‘Okay, there’s only a couple of rods left,’ he said quietly. ‘Mooney, are you okay to continue?’ The green Moderator flexed his wings and nursed his shoulders. ‘I’ll be fine,’ he nodded. ‘Me too,’ Will-ko said, massaging his arm. ‘We’re with you all the way. ‘Good!’ The Dr. said, raising his voice so that The Manager and Wacky Monkey could hear. ‘Now all we need is for that Kuh-ooh duh lao bao jurn to pull his finger out and get the … the …’ The Dr. wracked his brains for another insult. ‘The Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze?’ Welshy offered. ‘Nice,’ The Dr. nodded. ‘and get the Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze and his prawns into action.’ ‘HE’S STILL MOCKING ME!’ Wacky Monkey screeched and threw his cane at The Dr. It missed by a mile and sailed out into the open ocean through the hole in the floor. ‘DAMN IT! DAMN IT DAMN IT!’ Monkey shouted, thrashing about wildly in a fit of blind rage. ‘Oh, do get a grip on yourself, you puerile ape,’ The Manager snapped. ‘He’s trying to make you angry! Whether or not you are the unintelligent bastard child of a drunken whore and a chimpanzee isn’t the point!’ ‘THAT’S WHAT HE SAID ABOUT ME?!’ Monkey’s eyes widened with outrage. ‘It doesn’t matter!’ The Manager grinned triumphantly, pointing to the Ker-Plunk structure. ‘Pull out the last red pole, quickly!’ Wacky Monkey stopped thrashing and took a fleeting glance at the column. ‘YOU IDIOT!’ The Simian screamed. ‘That will cause all of the orbs to fall!’ ‘There’s only four left,’ The Manager said with an evil smirk towards The Dr. and his companions. ‘And we’re six points ahead.’ ‘What?’ The Dr.’s jaw dropped. ‘Pull the pole, Monkey,’ The Manager grinned maliciously. ‘For all his gall, all his strategy, all his fancy Chinese … all his assistance … he has lost.’ ‘No!’ Will-ko shouted, trying to remember how many explosions had been their fault. ‘It’s true,’ The Manager beamed as Wacky Monkey turned to his Psygoat hoard and instructed them to do as The Second Manager wished. ‘You’ve lost, boy … just as you will loose the contest. I will feast in your destruction! Just you watch me! If all of your pitiful little friends weren’t going to be destroyed along with you, I’d tell you how I was going to hunt each one of them down and kill them in the most slow and agonizing of fashions.’ ‘Crap,’ The Ninth Dr. said softly as the few remaining orbs dropped and the whole room was enveloped in a brilliant white flash of light. * ‘Your end is nigh, Dr.!’ The Second Manager said with a smugness that only he could achieve as he exited the game room and accepted his crystal from the awaiting Raljex. ‘This is only the beginning of your ultimate destruction!’ His voice echoed as he disappeared with a Pop. ‘Damn it all to the bowels of Hades!’ The Tenth Dr. shouted, wrenching open a bottle of vodka. ‘Gimme that,’ The Fourth Dr. said, snatching the drink from him. ‘I think we’re all going to need this before we’re finished.’ ‘Hey, guys,’ the First Dr. shouted from where he was watching the other game. ‘Come and have a look, they’ve nearly finished!’ ‘Oooh, good gracious!’ Raljex shouted, jumping over to look through the window. ‘I wouldn’t want to miss it when it goes off! That’s the best part of the game!’ * ‘There we go,’ Guy Garner said as he lifted the statue of the diver onto the see-saw and positioned it so that it would fly into the wooden pool when it was catapulted by the giant green ball that sat precariously atop the diving board high above them.

The Mousetrap had been constructed fairly quickly. There seemed to be a lot more “ADD A PIECE” squares than on a regular Mousetrap board. Though, on a regular Mousetrap board, people’s lives didn’t hang in the balance. ‘I’m glad we’ve finally got some time to talk,’ Arina said pleasantly from where she had been watching from the sidelines. ‘You keep saying that,’ The Sixth Dr. tisked as The Manager rolled a two and landed on another “ADD A PIECE” square ahead of him. ‘But now’s not really the time, is it?’ ‘Well, you ran away the last time I tried to have a conversation with you.’ ‘You’re talking to the wrong Dr.,’ Sixth shrugged. ‘Take your wedding issues up with Fourth when we get out of this mess.’ ‘Ah,’ Arina smiled wryly. ‘So, you do remember.’ ‘Of course I remember,’ Sixth puffed as he took up the dice and watched The Odd erect the large pole atop which the cage would be positioned, ready to fall as soon as the two players were in alignment on the correct squares at the end of the board. One had to be under the cage and the other had to land on the trap activation Square. Whoever ended up on each square was all down to the dice. The Manager had already made it to the circle of Squares where the final part of this game would be decided. It was all down to luck from here-on-in. ‘Do you also remember that you promised you’d marry us both?’ Angelus asked as he embraced Arina from behind. ‘I remember perfectly,’ The Sixth Dr. nodded as he rolled a Three and paced forwards. ‘I remember my actual response to your question being “I see … errr … oh … erm … that’s … I think there’s better people to be honest … I’m not … really into the … whole … marriage … … … … thing … Might be … a … little … hypocritical …” that’s what I said, word-for-word. Besides, I’m on a break.’ ‘You’re playing this game,’ Arina protested. ‘No, I mean, in general, in this incarnation,’ Sixth replied quickly. ‘I’ve taken this life off. No adventuring, no running around getting people and myself into trouble, just five thousand years of blissful peace and quiet. Simple. No distractions, no nonsense, nothing. Just me, my books, the complete library of all the movies in the Universe and nobody to bug me.’ ‘Sounds lonely,’ Danny commented. ‘Sounds like an excuse,’ Arina frowned as The Dr. landed on the last “ADD A PIECE” square. This was it, the trap was finished. Angelus took to the air and positioned the cage on top of the metal pole with a curt nod. ‘This is it, Dr.!’ The Manager snorted from the end circle. ‘This is where it gets ever-so interesting.’ ‘It’s not an excuse, Detective Fischer,’ The Dr. breathed, ignoring The Manager’s comments as his adversary rolled again and moved around the small circle of squares until he was positioned under the cage. If the Dr. could roll a six now, he would land on the activation square, then it would be game over. ‘Though, I’ll give you points for persistence. Here we are, playing for our lives and you still find time to badger me on the subject.’ ‘Dr.,’ Arina said seriously. ‘If we’re going to die … I’d prefer to die married.’ The Dr. ran a hand through his purple hair and breathed a sigh. ‘You need to stop thinking like that,’ he mused in his American accent. ‘It’ll get you nowhere. When we get out of this, I promise you … I’ll marry you both.’ ‘You’re only saying that because it’ll be our Dr. that ends up doing it,’ Danny smiled. ‘Shhh!’ The Dr. hissed. ‘Don’t spoil it! That was a beautiful moment. I don’t get many of them!’ He looked at the dice he had rolled while he was talking. A five. ‘Here’s the proof.’ He sighed as he strode forwards into the confined circle, right next to the activation square. It was so close; he had been within spitting distance of winning this game. ‘Maybe you’d get more if you weren’t taking a break,’ Guy Garner mused as he finished off another can of Guinness. ‘Hey!’ The Dr. scowled. ‘I don’t discuss with you about how much it must suck that you’re the Lanturn designated to protect a hell hole that no longer exists. I’m perfectly

happy with my life, thanks. I’ve died enough horrible deaths, I kinda want a nice one this time. I’ve never died of old age before … nice and cosy in my bed, it’s always been explosions, or bounty-hunters or … … … I’d rather not talk about the others.’ ‘Oh, boo-hoo,’ The Seventh Manager said scornfully as he joined The Dr. on the same square. ‘Poor little Dr. needs to R and R. Can’t be a man so you hide away in the darkness where nobody has to rely on you. Nobody to count on you, nobody to die because of you.’ ‘That’s not why I’m… ‘Of course that’s why!’ The Manager jeered. ‘How many of them died because of you, Dr.?’ ‘Shut up.’ ‘How many of them suffered because you didn’t act quick enough?’ ‘I said SHUT UP!’ The Dr. thundered and rolled the dice again. A four, that put him under the cage. He swore as he moved forward. ‘Don’t listen to him, Doc!’ Danny shouted. ‘Yeah, he’s just trying to mess with your head,’ Guy Garner intoned. ‘I’m not messing with anybody,’ The Seventh Manager said in his silky Irish voice. ‘I’m just curious as to why the hero of the Universe suddenly decides he wants some time off. One life of bumming about, one life of being a vegetable and then a life of being an idiot … so, I’m just wondering what on Betamax happened? It has to be something dreadful.’ ‘I told you to shut the hell up!’ The Sixth Dr. said dangerously, balling his fists. ‘Just get on with it. ‘It must be something so utterly terrible, that the great and noble Dr. just couldn’t live with the shame-’ ‘That’s enough,’ Arina said through gritted teeth. ‘With the guilt,’ The Manager continued. ‘With the knowledge of what he did, with the knowledge that she should have been able to stop it from happening.’ ‘IT WASN’T MY FAULT!’ The Dr. roared suddenly. ‘Too bad we’ll never know,’ The Manager grinned maliciously to the dice he had rolled while they had been arguing. A one. The Manager stepped forwards onto the activation square, setting off the trap on the other side of the board. ‘Oh, crap,’ Danny growled, punching his palm. ‘It wasn’t my fault,’ The Dr. said again as the mechanisms across the board whirred and jarred, setting of their own little chain reactions. ‘I’m sorry guys,’ he said to his assistants. ‘Really, I’m sorry.’ ‘Don’t beat yourself up,’ Guy Garner shrugged as the large green ball was tipped off the diving board, through the bath tub and onto the other end of the see-saw, catapulting the diver. ‘It was just the luck of the dice roll.’ ‘It all seems kinda silly when you think about it,’ The Dr. commented as the pole was jarred and the cage began to fall on him. ‘Worrying about stuff you can’t control.’ ‘Well, Dr.,’ The Manager said as the cage descended. ‘Hopefully, me and my fellows will be able to spare you from all the tragedy when we erase you from existence.’ ‘Yeah-yeah,’ The Dr. waved a dismissive hand, annoyed that he’d let The Manager get the better of him. ‘Save your trash talk for the people who care. We’re only half way through these games and they don’t amount to anything when it comes to the End-Game. Take your petty victories. They’ll mean nothing in the end.’ ‘Convince yourself of that,’ The Manager shrugged. ‘If it makes you feel better, I’m sure denial is your greatest companion while you while away your life, alone.’ ‘Go fuck yourself, Nigel,’ The Sixth Dr. spat as the room dissolved around them and a white light enveloped everything. * ‘Come now, we must press on!’ Raljex said a short while later after The Managers had finished celebrating and their Seventh incarnation had been transported away with his crystal. ‘The score is tied at three crystals each and we need to move on to our next destination!’

Raljex pointed to a service shaft at the other end of the room that led down into darkness. Running water could be heard somewhere in the tunnel ahead. ‘To the Medieval zone!’ Raljex declared, ushering the players forward. ‘What was The Manager talking about?’ The Fourth Dr. asked his Thirteenth incarnation. ‘I’m not going to remember anything that happens here if we win, so there’s no harm in telling me. What happened that makes Sixth practically exile himself?’ ‘It’s better we don’t talk about it,’ Thirteenth said quietly. ‘It’s not something you want to know.’ ‘Just tell me …’ Fourth said, taking in a deep breath. ‘Whatever happens … is it my fault? Our fault?’ Thirteenth clasped his hands behind him. ‘We think about that for a long time to come,’ he said sternly. ‘But no, we couldn’t stop it.’ ‘How many of them die?’ Fourth asked. ‘How many of the people I care about are taken from me?’ ‘It’s better you don’t know. ‘How many?!’ Fourth insisted. ‘This has nothing to do with your Allucian play pals if that’s what you’re asking,’ Thirteenth humphed. ‘Now, put it from your mind, we’ve got bigger things to worry about. We can’t discuss this now and it’s best we don’t talk about it at all. Can we agree to focus on these challenges for the time being?’ ‘I suppose,’ The Fourth Dr. nodded curtly. ‘I suppose.’ ‘So,’ The Thirteenth Manager said, hanging back with Raljex as the other Managers and the Dr.’s filed down the shaft towards The Medieval Zone. ‘When are you going to drop the charade and destroy him once and for all?’ ‘Excuse me?’ Raljex hummed. ‘Look,’ The Thirteenth Manager said, his eyes blazing. ‘Let’s cut the pretence, shall we? I worked it out a long time ago … there’s only one way you can exist, Raljex, there’s only one person in the entire Universe capable of being so utterly evil and devoid of feeling. There’s only one being so utterly determined to conquer the Universe.’ Raljex lifted his head slightly and nodded. ‘So, you understand?’ ‘I do,’ The Manager grinned. ‘So, these little challenges can go on for as long as it’s amusing, but when it comes to the end game, The Dr. needs to be destroyed, otherwise …’ ‘Otherwise?’ Raljex mused. ‘Otherwise, you will never exist,’ The Manager hissed. ‘I know the truth about us, Raljex. I know that when I look at you, I’m looking at my future. There’s no other explanation. You’re a Video Lord, Raljex … you’re me.’ Raljex folded his arms at The Manager. ‘But for that to happen,’ The Manager continued. ‘You realize that The Dr. must be obliterated.’ Raljex nodded slowly. ‘I understand perfectly what must happen. Do not concern yourself, Nigel,’ he said as he ushered The Manager towards the shaft that led to the next Zone. ‘Everything is going according to my plan.’