DW - War: The Soldier's Song (4)

"We are the Omni-Voyants." said the figure.

"Never heard of you." replied the Warrior. "But isn't that a bit pretentious... somewhat arrogant? Not to mention a little on the nose?"

"Says the Lord of Time." I added.

"Point taken." Admitted the Warrior. "But at least we don't swan about arming primitive developing species with temporal weapons! If you can see everything, as you name suggests, you must seen what a terrible idea that is?!"

The figure remained outwardly impassive, and calmly responded.
"Can you be so sure, Time Lord? Can you speak with authority on every scheme of the High Council? Can you truly say you have never armed a population I'm this forsaken War of yours? Actually, don't answer. Because we already know. We have seen the whims of your Council. Even on Earth, how many have you armed with knowledge, with technology, molded to fight and die for the greater good? Like this human here."

Surely it was lying, right? I mean, I was hardly a pawn in the Doctor's arsenal, was I? Those of us who travel with him are inspired to fight injustice, true, but I certainly didn't feel like a weapon.
"You're wrong." I countered. "There's a difference between broadening my horizons, and giving Paradox Engines to a species unable to comprehend the consequences of the tech."

The Warrior was standing tall, clearly in his element. His voice carried boldly across the chamber we were within.
"Enough with the bickering, we're all adults after all. Now, Omni-Voyant, explain why you're on Vakar or else I'll have to take a more active role in proceedings. If you rally can see the future, you know I'm not bluffing."

"Very well, Time Lord, if it satisfies you. We experience time in a far more fluid manner than other races. We see what was, what may be, and what has yet to occur. We sense the probabilities of every possible future, we can infer will exact certainty the outcome of any possible action. The Time Lords seek mastery, dominion, over time itself. We seek instead to become one with it. We simply ebb and flow in its currents, using our gifts to avert calamity."

"Hogwash!" cried the Warrior. "Nothing more than parlor tricks and delusions of grandeur. Nobody can have that power, it's not possible. Even if it were, to utilize it would be unthinkable!"

"Believe what you must, Time Lord." replied the Omni-Voyant. For a moment, I thought I detected something in it's voice, some sliver of emotion breaking through the facade. It sounded sorrowful. "This war of yours has dragged on for too long."

"It is not my war." snapped the Warrior.

"Yet you take part in it nonetheless. The Time War corrupts every world that it is fought on. Reality itself is strained as your people and the Daleks lead the Universe into chaos, one battlefield at a time. All of existence is threatened, everything good and pure in danger of destruction. Even we in all our wisdom cannot determine its final outcome. With all of time and space in flux, on the bring of extermination, our vision is clouded."

The Warrior was standing, hands clenched by his side, a furious mix of rage and grief while he grappled with the abject and abstract horrors of the Time War. Even so, or because of it, he couldn't resist a cheap shot. With a raspy chuckle, he spoke.
"So much for Omni-Vision then!"

"You jest, Time Lord. But we have seen several ends of this war, none more likely than the rest. We have seen the very end of time itself, a future dominated by tyrannical Time Lords ruling with an iron fist, and a universe under the yoke of the Dalek empire."

"See what I mean Arven? Charlatans, he's just picked the three most generic scenarios possible. Never trust a soothsayer who doesn't give details."

"We see another future too. One with a solitary survivor, the Lonely God and last of his kind, cursed to bear his guilt throughout the ages, eternally seeking atonement."

"Hah, the most outlandish theory yet."

"Tell that to the Big Bad Wolf."

"Sorry, excuse me, but you still haven't told us your plan with the Vakarians. Why drag them in? You hardly expect them to win this war for you?!" I interjected. That last premonition sounded a bit too accurate. Couldn't let the Doctor hear about his own future.

"We are using the indigenous population below to test our newly developed Paradox Engines. The only way this war can end, is if we return to its earliest days and prevent hostilities from occurring."

"All knowing one, you do realise that that was literally the first stratagem attempted by both sides. There are defences in place to prevent such incursions."

"All eventualities are considered. All possible countermeasures to the Paradox Engines can be anticipated and circumvented. With such engines, we can remove both the Daleks and Time Lords from the Universe, before they ever existed."

DW - War: The Soldier's Song (3)

The Warrior led the way out of the TARDIS, and I followed tight on his heels. We emerged in a wide open space, full of muted brown and grey rocky crags. In the distance, I saw a group of four legged beasts locking horns in some kind of fight for dominance. It was a dreary planet, with very little character of its own, devoid of colour and vibrancy. A cold, harsh place, much like a post apocalyptic Swindon. Of course a place like this would give rise to a species as brutish and inelegant as the Vakarians.

"See that settlement over there, on the horizon?" The Warrior asked, pointing towards a number of raised structures. From this distance, it looked like a collection of stone outcrops, rather than a collection of buildings. It was easy to imagine the Vakarians living in hollowed out caves, as they weren't exactly architecturally gifted.

"I think so, but it could just be a natural rock formation." I replied.

"That's because it is. Vakarians live in the abandoned nests of the wild Terrorms. Like a sort of giant rock eating worm."

"So, a literal earthworm?" I asked, suddenly concerned about the ground we were stood upon. The Warrior laughed, and put an arm around my shoulder.

"Nothing to fear, my boy. It'll have been hunted and killed by that tribe long before now. I'd be more concerned about the sky if I were you."

I looked up in alarm, visions of humongous swooping terrors circling above us, filling my head with fear. I relaxed slightly when all I could see was a silvery grey uniformity above us.

"Why, what's living up there?" I asked, cautiously.

"I honestly don't know, but that's not the point. Vakar is supposed to have a purple sky, with twin red dwarf stars visible in the sky at all times. It's an old planet, so old that it's lost all angular momentum in it's axial direction. There are no day or night cycles here." He explained, patiently.

"So the question is, why does it appear silver..." I said, thinking aloud. Now that I was looking intently, I could notice a slight purple ring near the horizon in every direction. An indigo haze on the edges of the sky. "It can't be..."

"Oh, I'm afraid it is. We're looking at the underside of a spaceship!"

"But, it must be miles in diameter! How can such a thing exist, especially so low in the atmosphere?" I said, stunned at the sheer scale of what I was observing. A silver disc the size of a large city was hanging above the surface of Vakar.

"I believe you said that the Vakarians were elevated technologically by their Shining Gods? This magnitude of engineering would be child's play to a race capable of constructing paradox engines." I could tell he was enjoying this moment. I dared not say anything, but I could tell he was relishing the chance to show off, to explain majestic visages to a companion... He was, however briefly, the Doctor again. In this instant, the War was forgotten.

"So, sounds like that space city is where we'll find our answers." I finally said. The Warrior nodded, and we reentered the TARDIS. Full or purpose, I watched as he skillfully manipulated the controls. I swear I even saw a smile on his face, briefly. Though, it soon gave way to a frown as we both realized that we still hadn't landed.
"Most curious... Come on, old girl. What's the matter?" He muttered to himself more than anything. "Drat! The vessel is shielded somehow, the TARDIS is struggled to break through. Maybe if I increase the Helmic Regul...." With a flourish, he yanked a leverdown dramatically. And the lights in the TARDIS dimmed as the engines fell silent. "What?!" He exclaimed. "Something has disabled her, and we're caught in a tractor beam!"

"Guess we're at the mercy of the Shining Gods then." I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. With a final shudder, the TARDIS was docked. The lights dimmed further and the central Time Rotor stopped moving. The TARDIS was deathly silent.
"We'd better not keep our hosts waiting." said the Warrior, his voice once again tinged with a hard edge. I felt slight pity for the Shining Gods, they had made things personal by affecting his TARDIS.
"Best foot forward, Arven!"

This time, we emerged in a room so white and stark that I was momentarily blinded by the glare. As my eyes adjusted, I could begin to make out the boundaries of the chamber we were in. Standing in front of us was a solitary humanoid figure. It glowed with an internal light, it's very skin was luminous, so bright that I could hardly keep my eyes on it. It's arms were raised in a welcoming gesture.

"Welcome, Time Lord. Welcome, human. Your arrival has been expected. You are right on time." It spoke in a soft, melodic voice. The aural equivalent of smooth luxurious velvet. The Warrior seemed less distracted by his surroundings than I, and continued to speak freely.

"I must say, I love what you've done to the place, even if it's not to my tastes. Reminds me to much of home. Besides, it must be a nightmare to keep clean. White shows up any speck of dirt."

I was beginning to get used to the creature in front of me, and found the courage to speak myself. "You must be the Shining Gods of the Vakarians then?"

The creature lacked a face, as far as I could tell, so I couldn't read it's expression. After a long pause, it spoke.
"That is the name given to us by the Vakarians, yes."

"So what do you call yourselves then?" asked the Warrior.

"We are the Omni-Voyants." said the figure. Could it mean what I thought it meant? Like clairvoyants, only more wide reaching and omniscient?

"Never heard of you." replied the Warrior. "But isn't that a bit pretentious... somewhat arrogant? Not to mention a little on the nose?"

DW - War: The Soldier's Song (2)

The interior of the TARDIS was different from when I had last been a passenger. While still bigger on the inside, it felt more compact, as the walls were closer to the console, and adorned with white roundels of some sort. It felt much more stark and oppressive here than in the grungy coral chamber I remembered, echoing it's distant and detached owner.
"Coordinates set for Vakar. That's the homeworld of the Vakarians. Just in case you couldn't figure it out." called the "Doctor", who was hunched over the controls. It was getting difficult to refer to him like this.

"Thanks, but I managed to put two and two together. So, for the sake of convenience, what do I call you if not 'Doctor'?"
He took a breath with which to give me some withering retort, before biting his tongue, as if he realized that he didn't really have a suitable answer. He sighed, before speaking in a mournful whisper.
"Call me whatever you want, just don't call me that. I don't know, refer to me as Warrior, Renegade, John Smith.... I don't care. But I'm not the Doctor."
"Why not? What have you done to warrant the loss of your title?"
"You wouldn't understand." His voice was sharp and brisk again, shutting down my questioning.
"Try me. I know about the Time War. I've seen how the guilt eats away at your future self, yet he saw fit to forgive himself and be the Doctor again. What have you done that's so unforgivable?!"

The Warrior slammed his palms down on the TARDIS console, causing her to chime in distress. He turned to face me, fury in his eyes, as he roared.
"You really want to know?! I broke my promise. I chose to fight. My very reason for existing is to battle in this War. Oh, my former self saw to that when regenerated into a Warrior. Someone born to do what must be done. Someone to push the boundaries of decency and make the choices nobody else dares consider. To stand and fight were the Doctor would turn and flee. A Doctor is sworn to protect the sanctity of life, I'm sworn to destroy it."

I felt the pain he felt, indeed I recognized it in myself, though I felt he was still hiding behind self deprecation and not being entirely honest.

"Is that it?" I asked him, incredulously. "You're torturing yourself for choosing to defend the Universe from the Daleks? Sounds like the Doctor to me."

"Of  course you don't understand. I could hardly expect a human like yourself to comprehend. The things I've seen, that I've done, all in the name of supposed peace and sanity,  would horrify you to your core." He was quieter now, but had lost none of his fire.

"I understand more than you credit me for."

"What could you possibly know about war, young man?"

"Don't forget, I've fought in a war of my own against the Vakarians. Plus, humanity has quite the history of violence."

He scoffed at me. "Call that skirmish a war? Humans, always think they know it all, that's your problem." I ignored his veiled insult. He was angry now, but I saw a chance to break his hardened exterior at last.

"War breeds cruelty. Chaos. Spite. Retaliation and vengeance dominate over careful consideration and compassion. It's the nature of wartime." I urged.

"So, you do know something then. But you're still naive. Just because war is hell, it doesn't excuse the actions of warriors, the war crimes, the senseless and pointless slaughter of the innocent." 

"That's why the battlefield needs warriors like you. People whose compassion guides their actions. Sure, you've killed. I've killed. But unlike the sociopath or the vindictive tyrant, our guilt keeps us in check. Keeps us grounded, because we feel the consequences of our actions."

"I don't need to hear you spouting naive and trite philosophy at me, boy." 

"Doctor, please just listen."

"DON'T CALL ME"

"Doctor!" I replied, firmly. He scowled, but was above engaging in a petty shouting match, so he ignored my taunt. "There's a song in my country, the National Anthem. Loosely translated, it's called The Soldier's Song. One line in particular says: No more our ancient sire land
Shall shelter the despot or the slave."

"I hadn't realized we'd entered poetry corner. "

"My point is, sometimes war is necessary. There are valid, noble reasons to become a warrior, when tyranny and injustice reach such proportions that no amount of peaceful discussion or alternative methods can work. Some enemies are too narrow minded to see what lies before them. War is unpleasant, and frequently a result of political posturing, arrogance or fear, but there are some causes worth fighting for."

"Hmm." He grunted, contemplating. "It doesn't matter how righteous your cause, how noble your intentions might be. In the depths of battle, when you're facing death, under the greatest pressure, you'll do anything to survive. Anything to achieve victory. Anything, to bring an end to the fighting. In that moment, morality is meaningless, causes are irrelevant. A Warrior acts in such moments, where a Doctor would hesitate."

"You can't truly believe that..." I whispered. This was the difference between this man and the Doctor, I realized.

"I do. That is my burden, my cross to bear. I make the impossible choices, those that nobody should or could make. That is why I'm no longer a Doctor. It takes a sacrifice to save the Universe, you know." He eyes were focused on the distance, as if he were no longer talking to me, lost in his own musing. "The Daleks, the Time Lords, both threaten the fabric of reality, countless planets hang in the balance, collateral damage in this forsaken war. The things I'm guilty of, I do to protect those legion worlds used as pawns. I fight for peace, sanity, but to do so I must take dire actions."

We both stood in muted contemplation for some time. Neither of us felt like we'd convinced the other of anything, we just had to agree to disagree. For the first time since I'd met the Doctor though, I had finally seen the person who would be willing to destroy both the Daleks and his own people. The Warrior was the only person I've met who seemed capable of choosing double genocide to save the Universe. Eventually, he spoke again in a jovial voice utterly disconnected from them previous argument.
"We've arrived, and about time too. The old girl had a bit of a tricky landing. Something on Vakar is upsetting her systems. Let's pop out and say hello, shall we?"

DW - War: The Soldier's Song (1)

A figure stepped out, but it was not the Doctor I was familiar with. He told me he could change his face, but it was bizarre to see the results. This Doctor was much older than my Doctor, with grey hair and a grim expression instead of the flouncey hair and gormless beaming of mine. As he emerged, he spoke in a gruff tone.
"I've picked up some temporal interference from these coordinates. I don't suppose you know anything about it?"
"Doctor?" I asked...
"Don't call me that!" He barked. "I don't go by that name. Not anymore!"
"I'm sorry. I just thought that with the box and the screwdriver..."
"Didn't your mother ever tell you what happens when you make assumptions?" he said, wryly. Just for a moment, I caught that old glint in his eye, I knew it was the Doctor. One of him anyway.

As I tried to understand what was happening, my eyes took in the rest of his outfit. His silver hair was shaped vaguely into a mohawk, and he wore an unkempt and scraggy goatee. His face was old, creased and lined with both age and worry. This version carried more weight on his shoulders than my Doctor. He wore a battered brown leather coat over a faded waistcoat, secured with a bandolier that seemed mostly decorative, as if he was trying to remind himself of his new-found role of warrior. His attire was finished with long laced shin boots and fingerless gloves. He spoke again, his voice tinged with disaffected urgency. I seemed unworthy of his time, like a mere distraction, an obstacle.
"Can you give me any information about these temporal signatures then, or must I do everything myself?"

I was caught off-guard by his terse attitude, so I found myself responding to him before I could question him.
"Well... there were some Vakarians who invaded recently. My friends and I..." but I was cut off mid sentence.
"No, this couldn't be the work of Vakarians. They don't have anywhere near the tech levels to generate this much interference." Again he brushed me off, treating me like I was ignorant and merely wasting his time. But I stood firm.
"They had a Paradox Engine!" I urged.

The "Doctor" laughed heartily.
"The Vakarians still struggle with fire and rock throwing. They have all the scientific progress of a particularly advanced turnip. I highly doubt they've mastered time engineering while my back was turned."
The arrogance of this man was appalling, almost feeling forced if I'm honest. He had shut himself away from companionship for so long that he'd either lost his social graces or was deliberately trying to avoid forming new friendships, fearing the inevitable loss that would follow. I remained unfettered by his attitude.
"Not by themselves, no." I replied. "But they said that the technology was gifted to them by their Shining Gods."

The "Doctor" stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Sounds plausible enough when you put it like that. Whomever or whatever these Shining Gods are. Sounds like nothing I've ever heard of before, but I'll bet it's nothing good."
We both stood in contemplative silence for a few moments until he spoke again.
"Tell me, how does a human such as yourself know about Vakarians? And how do you know about the Doctor? I assume the facts ate linked, and I hate stepping on my own coattails so to speak."
He had mellowed out a fraction, his old face lighting up with warmth as he enjoyed a brief respite from the Time War and it's infinite horrors. I would soon learn about his connections to the War.

I filled him in on the details of the Vakarian invasion, but I shan't recap those again here. I also mentioned my brief travels with the Doctor, though I did not explain too much, wary as I was to tell him too much of his future. He laughed at the idea of him having any sort of life outside of and beyond the War, but I did catch the hint of a smile creep onto his face at the suggestion. When I finished my explanation, he stared at me with his piercing eyes.
"Yet another war that forces the innocent to bear arms. Look at you, you're little more than a child..."
"Hey! I saved this planet!"
"I don't deny your skill, but I do pity the fact that you needed to stand up and save it."
He turned back towards his box, and opened the door with a creak and disappeared. I remained standing outside, staring and confused.
"Well, come on then!" He called from within the TARDIS. "Don't stay out there all day, you're letting in a draft."
"You want me to go with you?" I asked, unsure.
"You're the one with experience with these new and improved Vakarians. I could use your help, if you're up for the task."

I didn't need to be asked twice!

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (Epilogue)

I raced down the stairs of the Elysian, and out into the city streets. All around me people obliviously went about their beautifully ordinary lives. I ran past a mother and her screaming children, a dog defacing public property, an irate driver stuck in traffic. It was bizarre, seeing every little thing I had once taken for granted returned as if it had never changed. As far as these people were concerned, it hadn't. But I didn't have time to spend admiring strangers. I had to know, we're my friends alright? Was Susan?

I ran all the way back to my complex, so I was out of breath and sweating profusely as I entered the courtyard. It was back to its usual dirty, but distinct not post apocalyptic, appearance. No broken windows, battered doors or hastily fortified barricades in sight. In the distance, I saw Dave and Tony, arguing about something trivial as they walked towards our apartment. I've never been so pleased to see that man in all my life, to be frank. As I stared at the pair, Sarah ran to join them as they entered. The gang was here, all except Susan....

I turned around, looking towards her apartment. Hoping to see any sign of life. If she didn't make it, nobody would ever know what happened. As far as the world at large is concerned, she'd just have vanished one day, never to be found. While I was busy considering hypotheticals, I nearly missed a figure exiting from the tower doorway. It was Susan! She had survived, her last ditch plan was a success. Without thinking, I rushed over to her.
"You've alive!" I yelled, slightly too close to her face for comfort.
"Good morning to you too." She responded, clearly concerned at the sweaty panting man shouting at her.
"I mean, you're looking particularly full of life today.." I stuttered, just making everything more awkward.
"Right..." she said warily. "Are we still on for D&D this evening?"
"Yeah. Course." I smiled. Everything was back to normal, and I was a love struck fool too shy to say anything. Perfect!

No, not perfect. If I'd learned anything during my ordeal over the past few days, it was that life is precious, and must be lived to its fullest daily. Enjoy what moments you can, because who knows what might happen in the future?
"Sue." I asked, mustering as much courage as I could. "I was wondering, do you maybe want to grab a coffee, or something? You know, just the two of us... alone... like?
"Sorry, I've got to meet some friends for lunch."
Damn. Curse my foolishness, it wasn't going to work. Of course it wouldn't, not without the catalyst of peril to galvanize me...
"But I'm free all day tomorrow? I know a lovely little spot by the river. It's meant to be quite... romantic." She continued!
My heart leapt! I could barely contain my excitement as I stammered an affirmative to her suggestion. A date, with Susan! That wasn't so difficult, why was I ever worried? But what would I wear? Who pays, I pay  she pays, we split the bill? Would it be awkward..........

To get my mind off of the myriad trivial questions running through my mind, I went back to the Elysian to visit the roof again. I needed somewhere to think. Besides, there was still some alien tech loose up there that needed sorting. As I emerged, I found the scout craft was gone. I began looking around, as if I thought it was merely hiding on me. There, to the side, stood a lean figure of a man dressed in a military coat, scanning the city with his beady glare. Without looking at me, he spoke aloud with an American accent.
"This roof is occupied kid. Find your own play to brood elegantly."
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same kid." He said, playfully while walking towards me.
"I asked first."
"If that's how you want to play it... Name's Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood. I've been tracking some residual temporal signals, that seemed to emanate from this general area. Don't suppose you'd know anything about that?"

What was Torchwood exactly? And who was this guy, could he be trusted? I didn't see any point in being vague to him either way.
"That's probably due to the Vakarians and their paradox engines."
"Wow. I've never heard of Vakarians, but I have met a man with a paradox engine before. Nasty business, as I'm sure you'll agree. Back when I was in the time agency, I even saw someone rig up one to cure a hangover."
"Did it work?" I asked, intrigued.
"Kind of. But he messed up and it aged him 40 years in a day. Ouch. So, you managed to stop these Vakarians all by yourself? I'm impressed."
"I had some help from my friends. Even though they won't remember it."
"Messing with time can screw you like that. I'm guessing the Vakarians were responsible for the pod that was up here?"
"Yeah. What did you do with it?"
"I've had it taken back to our Hub for analysis. Don't worry, we'll be careful with it. It's kind of our job."

"What job is that?"
"Defending the Earth from aliens, monsters and other rift activities. The 21St century is particularly rife with such anomalies. The world is changing, and we've got to be ready."
"Like UNIT then?"
"We're a bit more freelance. In fact, we're actually looking to hire someone. I've got my hands full with the new and improved Cardiff team, and the rift here in Cork is becoming volatile for some reason. I could do with someone skilled keeping an eye out here."
"And you want me?"
"Why not? You have experience with this sort of thing. Think of it as a trial run."
"Is there pay?"
"The thrill of the job is reward enough. Sorry, couldn't resist. Yeah, we provide a comfortable wage along with a number of nifty little toys to help you along. What do you say, kid?"
It was a lot to take in, bit my decision was obvious. With the resources of Torchwood, I could fulfil my self appointed mission of defending Cork, and I wouldn't have to do it alone.
"I'm in."
"Never doubted you kid. Now, I'd love to stay and chat but Gwen is having a nightmare of a day between Rhys and some Weevils in Waterstones, so I've got to go. I'll be in touch."

With a smirk and a wink, he tapped a leather device strapped to his wrist and vanished. What a badass, I thought to myself. Torchwood Cork had a nice ring it, this could be the start of something big. Before I could think of that future though, something else came up. As Jack beamed away, something formed in his place. Accompanied by an all too familiar sound, a blue police box appeared on the roof. A figure stepped out, but it was not the Doctor I was familiar with. He told me he could change his face, but it was bizarre to see the results. This Doctor was much older than my Doctor, with grey hair and a grim expression instead of the flouncey hair and gormless beaming of mine. As he emerged, he spoke in a gruff tone.
"I've picked up some temporal interference from these coordinates. I don't suppose you know anything about it?"
"Doctor?" I asked...
"Don't call me that!" He barked. "I don't go by that name. Not anymore!"

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (17)

"No!" I screamed, a tad cliche but I was far beyond caring. Susan lay before me, bleeding out and soon to die. It just wasn't fair. If only she had been wounded anywhere else, the temporal reversal could have saved her, but not here. Not at the centre of the paradox. I had thought that if she was taken from me, that I'd just crumble. Give up, unable to continue fighting. Instead, I found myself full of rage, the fury welling up inside like a volcano. This Vakarian was not going to get away with claiming her life, and the was no way in hell I'd let her death be in vain. I rose shakily to my feet, still mildly dizzy from the impact. With a pained scream wrought of grief, I rushed my enemy.

Despite my intensity, I was still not a match for his skill. I was swinging wildly, lashing out, consumed by emotion, while he remained calm and clinical. I was only managing to drain my own energy really. Again he knocked me back, before following with a lunging strike, which I barely managed to dodge before scrambling up to my feet. This was a fight I couldn't win, that much was clear. There was only one thing I could do, to save the world if not myself.

I let my sword and shield fall to the ground as I dove headfirst into the capsule. I slapped frantically at the around the inside of the hatchway, hoping to find a door release. The door began to close as the Vakarian rushed after me. With some mild satisfaction, I watched his face as the door blocked him and sealed itself. This bought me a few seconds until he opened it from the outside. I had to use it wisely. Desperately I scanned the control panels in front of me. I don't know what I hoped to find; a self destruct? An off switch? Some convenient power coupling to invert and fry the machine? My search turned up nothing useful. None of the controls made any sense, and I didn't understand the underlying technology. Imagine somebody who can barely manage Microsoft Office, and put them in front of a Linux machine. This was several orders worse than that, because at least in that example they're both developed by the same species for the same hardware.

My time was up. Behind me, I could here the door begin to open. Perhaps if I could roll out and underneath him, I could retrieve my sword and just stab the controls. Or better yet... I turned to face my enemy one last time. He smiled as he readied his blade.
"Nowhere to run now, human. You fought well, better than most races, but the Vakarians beat all foes."
"Bring it then. But know this." I channeled my best Alec Guinness and continued.
"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."
As the Vakarian struck his blade downward, I dove low towards his legs. As I hit the floor of the scout ship, he plunged his blade deep into the controls of the craft. I wriggled out as he convulsed through electric shocks. Ramming metal into a bunch of wires creates short circuit apparently, and Vakarians don't seem the type to include circuit breakers or fuses. The screen flickered as sparks flew around the cockpit. After a few moments, it powered down completely, smoke rising from the charred controls and equally charred corpse. I couldn't revel in my victory though, as Sue was still struggling to hold onto life. She was nothing if not stubborn.

I rushed to her side, putting pressure on the wound. It was a token effort as we could both clearly see it was fatal.
"Will I ever... walk again... Doc?" She wheezed. A time like this and she could still crack wise? I've said how much I love this girl, yes?
"Hard to say, but your ballet career is in tatters." I responded, half laughing, half crying.
"Typical... We finally address... the elephant... in the room... and I get stabbed." she struggled to speak, her words getting fainter.
"Just our luck." I smiled, before kissing her gently.
"Did we win though.... Was it.... worthwhile?"
"Yes. The scout is destroyed. Now it's just a waiting game, hopefully time will snap back once we pass the point the signal should have been sent."
"I'm sorry.... but I don't think.... I'll get to see the world repaired..." Sue continued, as she broke out coughing. Blood flecked from her mouth.
"I don't want you to go..." I whispered, my voice squeaking with grief.
"Neither do I.... it's not fair....."

We sat in silence for a few moments, with me cradling her head in my lap, enjoying the last moments we'd have together. Susan broke the silence.
"Help me.... up.... want to.... look... at city.... final time..."
I put her arm over my shoulder, the least I could do was grant her a dying wish.
"Closer.... to the edge..... want to.... see..."
She pointed to the nearest wall, a section without barriers. She leaned on me as we shuffled towards it. She was struggling to stay conscious now, suffering from bloodloss.
"You know... I... love you...." she whispered. The end was soon now. I could feel her slipping away, cursing my inability to do anything.
"I know." I croaked in reply.
"I have.... a plan.... dangerous....but... nothing..... to lose..."
Suddenly it clicked. She was in the eye of the storm right now, but what if she wasn't? If she could leave the roof in time, wouldn't she be outside the fixed point on time, wouldn't she be reset like the rest of the world.
"You can't be serious!" I protested. Surely I couldn't just let her plunge from the rooftop?!
"No time... for.. anything... else... worth... a shot..."
"Then let me jump with you. Together, or not at all."
"No... someone... must... remember... invasion.... you... stay..."
"But, you'll forget that you love me."
"You'll... just have.... to who me... again..."
We both chuckled a little, imagining the fun I'd have trying to talk to a Susan without the crutch of a life or death situation. After a final squeeze of my hand, Susan pitched forward, and tumbled over the railing.

I pulled away from the edge. It was a sight I no desire to witness. I slumped in the middle of the roof, and stared out across the city. I realized just how tired I was, how much I'd gone through. Nobody would remember it, and I'd go back to being the creep with the doomsday plans. But this time I knew what the stakes were. I had seen firsthand the stakes at play, and how well my companions had coped. Perhaps there was hope for us all yet.

I don't know how long I sat there, waiting. Maybe an hour passed before I noticed any changes. There was a flash in the sky, a sudden brightness from orbit. What I took to be the paradox engines overloading. The clouds hung in the air. Below, smoke stopped rising and winds stopped gusting. Leaves hung trapped in midair before rising again. The smoke was pulled downwards. The sun froze and began to set in the direction from which it rose. Day faded to night in the blink of an eye, and the cycle repeated twice more. As the third day passed, the rapid spinning slowed. The sun began to move westwards once more. Below, the smoke had cleared, and I heard not the sound of war but of traffic. I saw people go about their lives, oblivious to the future they would never experience. We had actually won, but I couldn't celebrate yet. I had to be sure...

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (16)

As you can imagine, it took some time to climb 15 floors worth of staircases. We were so close to our goal now, so close to saving the world, but still we could hear the sounds of our friends fighting and dying below. If we could just destroy the scout ship though, time would reset and they would be alive again. We had to keep advancing. Susan and I kept talking in the vain hopes of drowning out the sounds from beneath us.

"So, assuming this all works out, time will revert to how everything was just before the invasion, yeah?" Sue asked.
"Mostly..." I said, hesitantly.
"I don't like when you use that tone. What are you leaving out?"
"Well, it's just that for us, on the roof, at the centre of it all, time will change around us." I tried to explain.
"But what does that mean exactly?"
"Think of us as standing in the eye of a storm. At the very centre, there are no winds. We will retain this timeline."
"So, we'll keep our memories if the invasion? Good. We need to remember this, someone has to be ready for the next time we're in danger."
"You mean, you actually want to keep fighting?" Her eagerness surprised me, while also worrying me. I wasn't sure I wanted my friends fighting with me, how would I cope if anything happened to them? The deaths I'd seen so far were bad enough, and those ones I had a chance at reversing. I couldn't risk their lives battling evils from the Rift. I certainly couldn't bear to lose Susan.
"Someone has to keep fighting. Someone has to be ready." She replied.
"Well, let's just focus about stopping the Vakarians before we worry about code names." I said, postponing my doubts.
"True. But Arven, I just want you to know, I'm glad we won't forget this. We've finally admitted our feelings for each other, and I'd hate to lose that."
"Same. I can't fathom having to start all over again."

By the time we'd reached the too of the stairs, the battle below had all but ended. Even now, Vakarians thundered up after us, hot on our heels. We burst through the emergency doors onto the roof, and scanned for something with which we could barricade it with. Susan spotted a large wheeled skip, filled with peanuts of metal, broken masonry and excess concrete. With some effort we managed to push it in front of the doors and locked the wheels in place. There was no way anyone was getting through there in a hurry.

Sharing a sigh of relief, we turned to survey the roof itself. It was a wide, open space with a three foot wall along the perimeter. A railing to increase the high of the barrier was installed in patches, but not yet completed. The floor was littered with construction site clutter. In the centre of the roof stood what looked vaguely like a cone, pointed side up. It's surface was covered in angles and grooves, like something drawn in the margins by a young H. R. Geiger. A panel on the aide facing us had retracted. It was large enough to allow a large man, or a standard Vakarian, entry into the capsule. Inside it was loaded with computers, screens, displays and wires, much like the environment Osgood had been it. This was what we had to destroy, or at least prevent from sending a signal to the mothership. I realised that this was the first time I'd actually considered how we would actually destroy a spacecraft. A bit of an oversight, but I was young and inexperienced back then.

Before I could think of ways to damage the capsule, there was the small matter of its occupant to deal with. A particularly well built Vakarian was prowling around his scout craft. His horns had been filled down to sharp pointed stubs, his face a mural of warpaint. This was a Vakarian elite. The best of their warriors, set to defend the moat crucial asset of their army. I turned my head towards Susan, as my eyebrows narrowed. Without a word we both drew our swords and readied our shields. It was time.

Even two on one it was a desperate struggle to survive. The Vakarian was quicker and stronger than any other we had faced, and Susan and I were both on the defensive from the start. Despite two avenues of attack he just didn't leave an opening for either of us. I was painfully aware of our second enemy here too, time. All the Vakarian had to do was delay us until it was time for the signal to send.

I knew I was fighting for every victim of the Vakarians. For every friend, for every human that had died in this war, I had the chance to save them all. I must not lose, I urged myself. But then... with a mighty kick to my chest, the Vakarian sent me flying towards the edge of the roof. Luckily I hit a section were the railing had already been installed, so I didn't fall to my death. Instead, I sunk to the ground, wind knocked out of my lungs, and my head walloped against the concrete wall. My vision swam for a few moments as I fought to stay awake. I could only sit there, waiting for my body to catch up to my mind, as Susan struggled on alone against the creature. I could only watch, as he ran her through with his sword. As he removed the blade, Susan sunk to her knees, gasping for breath as her life ebbed away.

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (15)

Our mighty flotilla of three cobbled together rafts set sail on its maiden and only voyage without further delay. Spirits were high among our crew, it was uplifting to finally be proactive in this fight. The river's current was slow, which suited our inexperience. We encouraged our pace with oars improvised from shovels and the like. As we sailed towards the city centre, I was able to catch glimpses of how the bottle had free across the city. Many buildings were damaged superficially, from both the Vakarians and looters. Some were even burned out husks. Corpses were scattered around the streets, shoppers and tourists slaughtered in the first wave, no doubt. In some places stray animals and pets without owners had resorted to using these bodies as a food source. In some isolated sections we passed, there were encouraging sights, people were still alive, and still fighting.

As we neared the marina outside of the Elysian, the number of Vakarians patrolling the shores increased. They had been easily able to track us along our journey, and it was here that they had concentrated their forces. Desperate for a positive outlook, I took this to mean that we were indeed in the right place. My raft was leading the convoy, such as it was, while Susan and Dave captained the others. Thirteen students accompanied us, spread across the three rafts. As my raft approached, we cast out hooked ropes, securing ourselves on the pier. My companions did likewise.

The Vakarians watched us, jeering and taunting but not yet intervening. Their code of honour compelled them to wait until we could face them openly. Thus, we were able to dock safely and climb onto the pier. The Elysian towered in front of us, 12 stories high. Between us and it lay an unpaved carpark full of construction materials and tools. Oh, and an estimated total of four hundred Vakarians. I roared an order to my fellows to begin, as did the Vakarians. The battle for planet Earth, for time itself, had begun.

Taking on such numbers directly would have been suicide, of course. We had to make our way into the building, secure a stairway, and ascend. We formed a rough V-shape aimed at the Elysian, with me and my companions at the helm, and pushed directly forward. These Vakarians we tougher than most we had fought so far. The Warchief had sent his best to defend such a critical asset, it seemed. However, their skill was little match for our improved defenses. We were all armed with shields, some left over from the MedRen stock, others little more than sheets of scrap metal salvaged from the campus sheds. We ploughed into their ranks, deflecting and diverting their blows and we steamrolled through. 

It was only a matter of time before one of us faltered however. Sarah staggered on the uneven surface, falling to one knee and dropping her shield for a brief window. The nearest alien capitalized on it, sinking his blade deep into her flesh. Suddenly, our formation was split on one side, and the Vakarians poured in, separating us further. Before her attacker could strike again, Sarah urged us to continue on. Then, the Vakarians closed it and we were cut off. Every instinct I had urged me to go back, help the others who had been cut off, but I couldn't. Reaching the scout ship would reset this whole mess, it was the only thing that mattered now. Even if it meant leaving some die for now.

Eventually, we had forced our way to the entrance of the building itself. Surprisingly, there were no Vakarians on the inside. Presumably, they all wanted to remain outside to fight for the glory of stopping us. Our group was severely diminished now, with just Dave, Susan and two others remaining with us to fight.

"Arven. Sue. Get inside, hey up there, stop them, however you can." Dave urged, as we burst through the glass doors of the Elysian. 

"What about the rest of you?" I asked.

"We can look after ourselves. Besides, someone has to keep this lot from following you upstairs." He continued. Vakarians were now pouring in too, breaking windows all around the lobby to enter.

"Stay safe." I said, trying to remain stoic. "And thank you."

"Just get up there and reverse this whole damn war. Don't make me regret this, that's all I ask."

With that, the Vakarians were on top of them again. Reluctantly, Susan and I continued upwards, and to what we hoped would be our salvation. 

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (14)

We gathered the rest of the survivors inside our fortified apartment, to discuss our admittedly drastic plan. Leaving out a handful of details for the sake of credibility. I began the description.
"After our visit with the alien overlords, we have identified a potential weakness in Vakarian battle strategy, inspired by our observation of United Nations resistance fighters in Peru. They have several scout craft around the world linked to their engines via some complex means. Basically, we destroy these craft, their mothership goes boom. There are several craft, presumably quantum linked and acting as failsafes to each other. We need every single one destroyed, but the good news is there's only one left. Right on our doorstep."

I could sense the incredulity in the room. The doubt and the fear. We were still students after all. Little more than children so far out of our depth. So I had to be more than that if I hoped to inspire these people. I continued.
"I know it all sounds a bit Star Wars, a bit Independence Day. But it's true. We prevent them for beaming a signal to the mothership, and they're toast. I don't ask you to help for my sake, or for yours. Not even for the sake of your friends and families, the city in which you study, your country. Fight for your planet. Like the brave soldiers of UNIT I witnessed. Like the myriad resistance groups worldwide who are holding out against the Vakarians. They have all played their part, it is time for us to play ours."

The room seemed split. About ten were cheering and applauding, while five (including Sarah) were looking at their feet. I pressed my advantage.
"We've all lost someone to these bastards. Today is the day we take our revenge. But if you don't. If you're not willing or able, I shall not hold it against anyone. These are desperate and trying times, none of us asked to fight. Just know that if those of us who do go die in the name of hope, that you will be left to face the Vakarians alone." More cheered. I looked at the dozen or so volunteers before me. Not exactly an army but all we were able to muster.

I asked around the group, looking to see if anyone had seen or heard strange noises the night before the Vakarians came. Three people described strange occurrences in the south-east of the city that evening, centered around the Elysian. The tallest building in Cork, built for luxury apartments commanding a pristine view over the city as a whole, with beautiful riverside frontage. It seemed a good fit upon which to subtly park a spacecraft.

We gathered downstairs to raid the gardening sheds. These buildings were storage units for the campus gardeners, and full of equipment, including wheelbarrows, rope and plastic barrels. We lashed together three small rafts which could support the combined weight of 15 of us, such that we could sail downriver until we reached the Elysian. This way, we could avoid Vakarians until the last possible moment. Thankfully ranged weapons weren't in their playbook.  Worryingly, we were not bothered by Vakarians while making our preparations. Their forces were presumably concentrated downriver closer to our goal.

With all of our plans underway, I excused myself from the group and returned to my apartment bedroom for some privacy. I had barely shut the door before I began sobbing, my shoulders shaking with the effort. This was my first moment really facing the enormity of our situation. I had lost dear friends, nearly lost Susan... thousands were dead in Cork alone, the scale was petrifying... and in the middle of it all, I thought I could play the hero... After a few minutes of being surrounded by my own doubts and fears, I tensed as the door opened. Susan walking in, gently shutting the door behind her. Wordlessly, she sat on the bed next to me. I tried to send her away, keep her from swing me like this, but I couldn't muster the energy. Sue just embraced me, tenderly. I found myself pouring my feelings out, every stress and fear from the past few days.

"I'm no leader, I don't have a plan, not really. It's a loose collection of assumptions, based on little evidence. The entire plan is shaky. Even if we do sail safely, even if we do land, if we do find the right place, of we do shut down the signal, nothing might change."
"It gives hope to your friends. That must count for something."
"It is a fools hope. Most of them are going to die on this goose chase, in my name. Because I gave them the hope they needed to sacrifice themselves. That's not noble, it's blind faith. I'm no more a leader than any of them. They all believe in a lie. In a me who can battle dark forces, defeat great evils, but I'm a scared boy playing pretend."
"I'm frightened too. Constantly, of what we might lose. But I'm more worried of what we WILL lose if we don't fight. If we fail to win, we lose our lives. If we fail to fight, we lose our humanity."
"How can I be the figure they see me as?!" I yelled, voice rising with fear. "When they believe in a lie, and I don't even believe in myself... How can I be the man everyone thinks I am when nobody believes in the man I truly am?"

"Listen." Sue said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I believe in you. Not the swashbuckling hero you though. I believe in the Arven who gets me home safe after a night out. The you who sat on my birthday cake last year. The you who is an idiotic, charming, foolish brilliant man. I believe in the man I love, the man before me."
I realized how much of a fool I was being, feeling sorry for myself, skulking into depression. I wasn't alone in this fight, I never was. Not just against the Vakarians, I mean in general. I've always over-analysed things, been so caught up in my own negative thoughts that I've missed what's been in front of me. So I leaned forward and kissed her, which she returned. I'll leave this part of my tale here. Some things should remain private after all.

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (13)

I refused to believe it. My brain ignored the obvious fact in front of me. I just couldn't process what I had seen. Susan, my dearest friend, was lying in the gravel courtyard, knife lodged in her spine, and dead. Simply dead. A sudden and total loss of potential, an immediate cessation of all possible future experience. She had been my greatest source of strength since the invasion. She trusted me implicitly, she had faith in me the likes of which I'd never known before. And I had failed to keep her safe. First Tony, now Susan. How many more would have to die before we just gave in?

I felt tears welling up inside me, a sadness beyond countenance, but I fought to keep them at bay. I was afraid that if I started to cry, I'd never stop. Despite my efforts, a single tear ran down my cheek and dropped onto the dusty gravel below, causing the stone to darken. As if by some miraculous fairytale wish, as my tear fell, Susan stirred on the ground. I was too stunned to react, so I watched passively as she pushed herself up with her arms. As her back arched, the knife simply tumbled away. Or rather, the handle did. Only a few millimeters of the base of the blade remained. By some miracle, the spinning blade must have entered the transmat field handle first, so only that portion travelled with us. The blade must have remained aboard the Vakarian cruiser, embedded in the wall panel most likely.

Susan got to her feet, bemused at the attention which had gathered around her.
"Pull yourself together Arven, you hardly knew Osgood. And why are you lot standing around? Now that we're back the Vakarians will follow shortly. We need to prepare."
Sue was met with mostly stunned silence mixed with the occasional mutter of approval. The crowd began to disperse again, so I huddled with my companions to discuss what had happened in space.

"Let's just recap for a moment. The Vakarian forces sent three scout ships to Earth."
"Why three?" asked Dave, with a raised eyebrow.
"Because there were three areas of importance on their invasion map. We saw the Peruvian area turn red when that ship was destroyed."
"So what about the other areas?" Dave asked.
"One is still active, here. The Tokyo marker was already red."
"That could mean anything."
"It means another scout ship was destroyed. Whether it was by humans, poor landing or navigational errors, doesn't matter."
"Right, but even if this is correct, how are they important? What's the purpose of these scouts?" added Susan. "Surely the Vakarians overreacted if it's just for simple intel gathering."
"I have a theory about that. But it's a bit flimsy." I said, cautiously. I still wasn't sure if I believed it myself. I sighed before continuing.

"The Warchief mentioned that they travelled via paradox engines. As in, some kind of machine that harvests potential energy from chronologically impossible events."
"What?!" Dave exclaimed.
"Right, think of it this way. We stand at opposite ends of a hallway. I call you, and you hear my call once the soundwaves reach you, at which point you come running to me. You reach me after some time has passed."
"OK..."
"Now, imagine the same scenario, but you start running before I call you, because you are forewarned that I'll call. This time you arrive as I call. That's a paradox. Effect came before cause as it were. But it's self contained. I called and you came, just in a messed up order. A closed loop is a stable loop."
"Think I'm still with you..."
"Now, the same scenario again, only this time you arrive before I ever call. Now I don't bother to shout out, so you never have reason to have travelled. It's effect without cause. The loop remains open, chaos and anarchy, which time doesn't like."
"OK, so there are types of paradox. What does that mean for the Vakarians?" Asked Susan this time, as Dave was struggling to comprehend temporal physics.

"Well, the Science lady, Osgood, mentioned that the scout ships were generating a tachyon field. Think of them as the caller in the previous scenario. Sending a signal to draw in the mothership. Thanks to the paradox engines, the mothership arrives before the signal has been sent. This closed time loop powers the engines."
"But why? If these scouts can travel the galaxy at warp speeds, why bother messing with paradoxes and temporal energies?"
"My best guess? Their warp technology only scales to small craft, not warships, and are too expensive to mass produce. So someone came up with a needlessly complicated solution to a problem. The Shining Gods, I assume. Whoever they are."
"So the reason the scout ships are so vital..." mused Susan, thinking aloud. "... is because if they are destroyed, the signal can't be sent?"
"Open paradox baby, like a stack overflow in the RAM of the Universe, time resets to the last available safe restore point. In a manner of speaking."
"Or the Universe implodes."
"It's a possibility. But really, Earth is so insignificant on the grand scale of Time. Resetting time for a few days on one backwater planet is far less disruptive than utter annihilation. Like gravity, electricity or any physical force, time prefers the simplest, most direct, efficient route."
"You hope."
"Well, that's what I learnt from the Doctor. I'd be inclined to trust a Time Lord on such matters."

Susan and Dave seemed mostly baffled. I understood completely, the baffling intersection of of science and science fiction is difficult at the best of times, let alone creatures who experience time in a linear fashion. At least I had some experience of time travel. Being in the TARDIS can help you think fourth dimensionally.

"So, even if what you say makes sense, not that I'm saying it does..." said Dave, struggling not to confuse himself with his own question... "How do we know there's still time? If all they have to do is send a signal, why don't they just do it? Paradox resolved, thanks for playing. Goodnight Vienna."
"Well, we know there's still time. Why else would they have been so distraught over losing the Peruvian scout? As for the why... I think they have to wait. The longer they wait to send a signal, the greater the paradox of the invasion. The energy needed to move the mothership across space is dependant on distance travelled. So the further the mothership is transported, the more energy is required, the longer they must wait before sending the signal."
Susan summed it up pretty well. "So, they could activate the scout ship here at any time, we don't know when, and that legitimizes the invasion. But if we can destroy the scout in time, the paradox opens and time resets."
"Well, it sounds crazy when you put it like that, but yeah." I replied.
"Still better than fighting until the human race is extinct. I'd risk losing a crappy future for a chance at returning to our own."
"You two seem to understand this nonsense. So I'll trust you both with it." Said Dave.

So it was that we three students had decided on a course of action that would hopefully alter the flow of time. Or destroy the Universe as we knew it. We were running out of time, had no idea how long was even left, nor the location of the scout ship itself. But, it was a start, and we finally had a chance at victory!

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (12)

The crew on the bridge erupted in a frenzy of activity. The Vakarian Warchief barked orders at his subordinates, vein throbbing dangerously in his forehead.
"Send additional troops to the secondary location, we must not lose another scout ship!"
In the midst of this chaos, I had a brief window in which to signal my allies beside me. I dared not speak of course, but through a series of looks and facial gestures, I believed we were in agreement. We had to escape and return home. I couldn't help but wonder just why these scout ships were so vital, but such questions could wait until we were free from the Warchief.

The pair on the screen continued to talk, unaware of the situation on the bridge. Their feed must have been one way only. The younger woman, Osgood, spoke.
"This technology is fascinating ma'am."
"Save the admiration for the debrief Osgood. We've still got a war to fight."
"Yes. True. It's just that... this scouting craft has a tachyon generator."
"Very interesting, I'm sure."
"Ma'am, this craft is transmitting some kind of temporal signature into the past. None of this makes sense. What purpose could it possibly serve, and how do these warmongering savages have such advanced science. If you'll pardon the expression."
The older woman's face hardened as she continued to stare off screen.
"All very worthy questions Osgood. But they'll have to wait. Alien reinforcements inbound. Good Lord, they've already taken out our perimeter guard."
"Then, I guess we have no other choice."
"Stand and fight. To the last."
"Something like that. Kate, if I invert this power coupling, I can trigger an energy overflow in the system. The scout ship will detonate, terminating their signal."
"And us along with it... I see. How many rounds do you have left?"
"Twelve. You?"
"Sixteen. And there's several dozen minimum rising over the edge of the plateau. Do it, but wait until they approach to detonate. If we're going out were taking as many of them with us as we can."
"It's been an honour, ma'am."
"Likewise Osgood."

The Vakarian bridge crew finally managed to terminate the signal from UNIT. The holographic map reappeared on the wall display, and with it the three highlighted areas. The disc denoting Peru was alternating between red and orange now. With a frustrated roar from the Vakarians, the disc turned a solid red. The scout ship was destroyed, along with the brave souls from UNIT. This left only a single scout ship left active on the planet, if I was interpreting the map correctly. And where else was it located... Cork. The Warchief was livid, with just a hint of panic and even fear in his face. He seemed to double take as he turned towards us, as if he'd practically forgotten we were still stood before him.
"Increase our presence around the tertiary scout zone. It must not fall! And kill these humans, now!"

It was fine for action. Over the past few minutes, I had worked my hands slowly behind my back, so as not to arouse suspicion. My right hand was curled around he handle of the dagger Susan had gifted me, waiting to strike. As the Warchief called for our execution, I pulled the knife from my belt, aiming it at his head. Unfortunately I struck his shoulder, but it was enough to provide a distraction. Susan and Dave charged at the two Vakarians who were escorting us, catching them off guard and forcing them to the floor. Making use of the panic, the three of us ran to the section where our weapons and the transmat device were stored. Urgently we scrambled for our gear, and activated the device. At the same moment, the Warchief had pulled the knife from his shoulder and flung it back at us. It reached us just as we were phasing away...

The three of us landed roughly back in the courtyard we had left. The area was devoid of Vakarians, while a handful of survivors were searching the complex for more supplies. I turned to make sure my allies had also landed without injury when my blood ran cold. Susan was standing, a look of shock and pain etched on her face. Silently she collapsed to her knees, before keeling forward into the gravel. The handle of her knife protruding from the centre of her back.

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (11)

Travelling via a cobbled together ramshod transmat operated by technologically inept warlords is, surprisingly enough, not the most pleasant of experiences. The sensation is hard to describe, but I shall endeavor nonetheless. It's as if your atoms become sort of wobbly, as quantum uncertainty manifests in a macroscopic environment. Then, the space between your molecules seems to stretch to impossibly vast degrees. But not like your body itself is expanding, more like the spaces between spaces grow until you are as intangible as the wind. Your body feels like a haze, an echo, the cloud of dust in your vague outline, as if in a cartoon. As you reach the limit at which you are sure you are technically not considered physical matter, you feel everything snap back to reality. You gain mass and weight, gravity takes hold pinning you to the floor as your chest constricts. Your blood feels like a viscous paste in your veins. This is merely you becoming aware of your physical presence like never before. Where you realise all the things you've learned to tune out. You know how you don't notice your tongue or your breathing until it's pointed out, and suddenly it's just there?

After this existential ordeal, I managed to regain my presence of mind. I was standing in a small room, decorated with ochre rust, hissing pipework, metallic mesh and scattered chains. It was more decaying submarine than Apple Store. Beside me, Sue and Dave were groggily adjusting to life in space.
"Artificial gravity, so that's nice." I said, cheerily. I was channeling the Doctor, hoping to reassure my friends while I desperately searched for the next step in my plan.
"I think I'm going to be sick." moaned Dave, looking for the nearest corner.
"What's with the Silent Hill decor?" asked Susan, who was acclimatising remarkably quickly to this lifestyle.
"Can't all be sleek lines and chrome curves" I replied. "This is a hard working machine!"
"What more could we expect from the Vakarians anyway?" she said with a smile.
"Now you're getting it." I beamed back. "Let's check on Dave, eh?"

We founding behind us, gawping in awe out of a viewport at our home. Earth hung in the starry void, looking so peaceful and serene, no sign of the chaos occurring on the surface.
"Christ on a bike!" Dave exclaimed.
"Magnificent, isn't it." I said, with a little more decorum. Without thinking, my hand found Susan's as we stared at the beauty of our world. We were rudely interrupted by the arrival of several Vakarian soldiers. We were marched briskly through several similarly dingy corridors until we reached what I took to be the bridge of the vessel.

Our swords were taken from us and placed to the left of the room, guarded by our escort, along with the transmat device. On the right wall was a holographic display showing a two dimensional map of Earth, cluttered with alien text and symbols showing the process of various skirmishes. Three areas of the map were highlighted by coloured circles. A green disc covered Cork, while a red disc was close to Tokyo. An orange circle was somewhere in the vicinity of Machu Picchu, Peru, but I couldn't derive any particular meaning from these. At the rear of the room sat a throne decorated with weapons from several different cultures, upon which sat a corpulent Vakarian in grimy robes. One of his horns had been snapped off and a grizzled scar divided his face. I took him to have been a warrior skilled and decorated enough to rule his brethren, though he had long since passed his peak and had given in to the comforts of power.

He spoke as if gargling gravel, his voice deep and commanding, every bit the old soldier.
"So, these are the slanderous humans who have insulted us?"
"And you, I presume, are the leader of this dishonourable bunch of murderous fiends." I responded.
"Know your place, human, and do not lecture me about honour. You are a weak and pitiful race, who have abandoned the solemnity of combat, you cannot know honour." He boomed.
"Then, why have I been summoned here? Why go through with my challenge if you invalidate me now?"
"Because honour is for the lower ranks. A tool used to keep my people in line. A true leader knows when to look beyond such concerns for the good of those he commands. I had to be seen to honour the deal you had agreed."
"Good to know humanity is not the only race whose politicians are prone to acts of vested interest and deceit."
Inside, I was panicking right about now. Coming here had been a mistake. This Vakarian was not bound by their limiting code of values I had exploited thus far. Maybe there was some other approach to take, but I was out if ideas.

Thankfully, Susan was there to pick up the slack, with some stalling questions of her own.
"How does a technologically inept race such as yourselves develop interstellar travel anyway?" She asked, hoping to distract him. He took the bait greedily.
"Do not insult us, human. The Shining Gods have raised us up to wage war across the cosmos. They gave us the ability to travel between worlds with the Paradox Engine. They granted us the power to eliminate unsporting advanced indigenous weaponry with the Pulsar Detonation."
Big words for a technophobic race, I thought to myself. Just who were these "Gods" or theirs anyway? And the word Paradox intrigued me. I wondered how it might operate, and if it meant what I thought it did, perhaps it might even be our salvation.

He intended to kill us, that much had become apparent to me. We were too dangerous to let live, and only remained alive because he was toying with us. Time was running out, when something happened to surprise us all. The holographic display fizzed with static. A woman's voice emanated from it, sounding frantic yet knowledgeable.
"Hacking the transmission feed now ma'am. This would have been so much easier if I'd still had a sonic. Ah well, needs must, so I've had to go old school."
A second voice, also female buy distinctly more mature replied.
"Very well, Osgood. We don't have much time, the soldiers outside are low on ammunition."
"Just as well we kept the retro weapons in storage, eh? These haven't seen action since the 90's!"
"Focus, and don't forget you inhaler."
"Right. *puff* Signal is locked, you're good to go ma'am."
The static resolved itself into a video feed. Two women were visible on the screen, a middle aged blonde woman in a dark business suit, and a younger woman in a labcoat and thick spectacles, elbows deep in some alien machinery. The older woman spoke directly to the camera.
"I am Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, Chief Scientific Officer of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. I believe I am transmitting to the leader of the occupying force orbiting this planet. UNIT have located what appears to be a scout craft of some kind, which my tech team believe to be of some strategic advantage to your efforts. We seek your immediate surrender, or this asset will be destroyed."

Just seeing video again after two days without technology made me slightly emotional, idiotic as it sounds. Not to mention the inspirational sight of others standing up against the Vakarian threat. I didn't know what UNIT was, but I took it to be some kind of international group concerned with defending the Earth from external threats. I mean, if aliens are real, then why not some form of Men in Black?We were no longer in this fight alone!

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (10)

The gathered Vakarians fanned out in the courtyard, forming a circle of about 25ft in diameter, with me and the commander at its centre. Dave and Susan cheered for me from a small section of the perimeter closest to our apartment. The commander raised his blade vertically, holding it inches from his face, a motion which I copied, assuming it was some form of pre-battle ritual. We each backed away from the centre in opposing directions until there was a gap of 10ft between us. All the while our eyes remained locked, neither trusting the other not to make a surprise move. The gathered crowd began chanting some kind of war cry, and the commander beat his chest to the rhythm. For my part, I signaled my friends to be quiet. Let them have their ritual, but we were not to embarrass ourselves with such a display.

My foe raised a fist and the chanting ceased abruptly. With a final roar, the battle had begun. He came at me with his blade low, swinging with an uppercut. I managed to block his attack with my own blade, but was still staggered backwards by the ferocity of his blow. Pressing his advantage, he attacked again and again, a curious flurry of strikes that I barely managed to deflect. He was stronger than his rank and file brethren, this I expected. But I had not accounted for his increased speed. He possessed a finesse and grace to his movements that none I had fought against before had displayed. This was a mistake, there was no way I could defeat this creature. Before me stood a true warrior, skilled and deadly whereas I wasn't even particularly fit. With another roar, he came at me from the upper left, blade diving towards me. I raised my shield in defense, which buckled under the attack. Such was the force of his swing that my shield cracked in two, roughly down the middle. I shrugged the now useless timber from my arm, slipping out of the straps that held it in place.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Sue start to rush to my side, but I stopped her with a shake of my head. If anyone interfered now, the duel would end, and we'd be screwed. Although, I was already screwed either way, fighting an opponent quicker and stronger than me, without my advantage of a shield. I felt like giving up to be honest. I didn't have a hope, all my efforts would only prolong the inevitable. Sound and fury signifying nothing. My grip loosened on my blade, until my thoughts turned to the Dave. And Sue. And the apartment full of terrified students behind me. Steeling myself, I renewed my grip, now using both hands. The Vakarian commander smiled at my bravery, before raising his blade to his mouth. His thick, purple tongue snaked from his mouth, and licked the edge of his sword. Thick viscous dark blood ran along the blade, and dripped along his chin. His smile returned as he sheathed his tongue, clearly enjoying the taste of his own lifeblood.

The battle began again, his onslaught more fierce, high as he was from thrill of battle. Once again, I was on the defensive, struggling to beat off his attacks. There was only one advantage left for me to utilize, I could outsmart him. We locked blades again, as he attempted to intimidate with a wicked stare. Sensing an opportunity, I lashed out with my right leg, striking him in the side of the knee with my heel. He staggered backwards, incensed, but with a noticeable limp. He unleashed himself upon me once again, though his attacks were less focused now, more random as he lost his wits to bloodlust and retribution. This creature was unused to losing, unaccustomed to genuine challenge. Twice more, I dozed his wild swings and grazed his limbs with a flick of my blade. Death by a thousand cuts, I thought, wryly.

The crowd was beginning to sour as they sensed the outcome of the battle. With a final flourish, I rolled under a particularly telegraphed attack and rammed my sword into my foe's back. He slumped to his knees, as life drained away. I proclaimed myself the champion, and urged the Vakarians to honour the terms of combat. One of them indicated at the golden device attached to the belt of their former commander, and said it would take me to their leader. I struggled to resist reacting to the cliche. Sue raced to my side as I retrieved the device, with Dave not far behind. The metal was oddly cool to the touch.
"We're not staying here while you go swanning off in space" she urged.
"In for a  penny" sighed Dave.
"Prepare for the unknown" I cautioned, as I pressed the button, hoping I could trust the Vakarians.

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (9)

We didn't have the time or resources to give Tony an adequate send off. We considered consigning him to the river, but it didn't seem dignified, so we just lay him down in one of the abandoned apartments and said a few words to honour his memory. Afterwards, a distraught Sarah stayed with the body, as Dave, Susan and I explored the rest of the complex. To my mild surprise, we did find a couple more survivors whose accommodation was overlooked by the horde. They were eager to trade their supplies for some of the discarded weapons in our tower, and seemed amenable to help bolster our defences.

Most of the apartments I searched contained modest amounts of usable food. Like all student food, it was cheap and imperishable. About half had been occupied until recently, the inhabitants slain in the last wave of the attack. Everywhere I looked, there was another body, felled during bloody combat they had not wanted to partake in. In the distance, towards the centre of the city, I saw several plumes of smoke rising sporadically. Most likely the result of looting. I never ceased to be amazed by the sheer depths of humanity's self-destructive impulses. Even in such dire straits, we still couldn't come together in the name of survival. Perhaps this was why the Doctor hadn't interfered. Despite his almost limitless compassion (I guess two hearts count for something) even he must sometimes look at humanity and turn away in disgust. Shun the extent of our cruelty and malice, wondering why we deserved his help. I couldn't blame him, this was the year Trump was a viable presidential candidate after all.

I glanced across the street towards the row of houses along Western Road. I had friends living in one of these houses, less than five minutes away. Sure that I had the time to spare, I took off to check on them. If they were alive, I could help them, and if not... well, I had to know either way. I arrived at the front door to find it hanging open, the lock had been forced and one of the hinges had snapped. It was a bad sign, but I held out some naive hope regardless. The stench inside was overpowering, even from the driveway. A fetid, decaying odour, that spoke of death. Steeling myself, I entered expecting to find victims of war. What I actually came across was far more unsettling.

I stepped into the hallway and turned left towards the living room. As my feet landed they squelched through the sodden stained brown carpet. The smell was worse here, like rot and iron. Blood. Sitting serenely in various armchairs were my three friends, calm and peaceful as if sleeping off a few pints. Save for the telltale scars along each of their forearms,  stained brown by the drying blood that had welled forth from within. These three had decided to claim their own lives rather than be taken by some incomprehensible enemy. I'd like to say I was stoic, that I vowed vengeance, or marked their passing with heartfelt words. No, I just vomited messily in the corner, until all I could do was dry heave, weakly. Eventually, I calmed down, and thought of how much time I'd lost. The Vakarians would return soon, and I had to be ready.

I rejoined Dave and Susan in the courtyard of our complex. Sue seemed anxious and furious at my absence, but she didn't press me for details. She had seen the look in my eye and knew now was not the time for explanations.
"We'd better get inside soon." said Dave. "We've reinforced the barrier and dispersed our spare weapons amongst the other survivors."
"Be my guest." I replied. "But I have to wait here."
"Don't be an idiot!" urged Susan. I think she was concerned that I was about to do something reckless and frankly suicidal. She was half right, it was reckless but I had no intentions on dying today. Too many had perished already.
"I have to attempt a parley." I responded. "Criticise their honour, and I'm sure we can buy some time."
"Madness. Absolute madness!" Dave shouted in an uncharacteristic display of emotion.
"Arven." Spoke Sue, seriously. "Are you absolutely sure you know what you're doing?"
I contemplated her words before answering. Of course I wasn't, I was making up a strategy on the fly. But this was the kind of bold move I'd expect of the Doctor. Besides, the alternative was to slowly succumb to a planet wide siege. I'd rather go down swinging.
"Of course!" I responded, with forced charm. "Always!"
"Then, Dave and I will stand with you. If you're going to do something monumentally stupid, you'd best not do it alone."
"Hey!" Exclaimed Dave, protestingly, though he did stand his ground.
After a few minutes, I broke the silence. "So, when do we think....."

With a sharp fizzle, the outlines of several dozen humanoid figures materialized before us. As the noise tapered off, the figures grew more defined and solid. Leading the pack was the Vakarian commander. He saw the three of us, standing defiantly in front of the horde.
"Finally, the humans face us in open combat!" he growled, turning to meet his troops' guttural praise.
"Not quite." I responded. "We're here to parlay."
"No words, only fighting. Words are the weapons of the weak."
"On the contrary, I think words are the weapons of the wise."
"Words are deceitful and dishonest. Skill with a blade is not."
"Only to those without the skill to wield words. Think of it this way. Even the greatest swordsman must fight his opponents one by one. The wordsmith can defeat entire armies at once."
He barked out a disparaging laugh before responding.
"That is your plan? Use your words to make us leave?"
"No." I sighed. "Such a nuanced approach is beyond you lot. You need more direct persuasion."
"So you ARE here to fight?"
"More or less. You see, I realise how deeply you care about honour in your culture. Which is why I'm appalled at your serious lack of honour thus far."
Several of the alien soldiers brandished their weapons and roared in anger at this remark. The commander silenced them, though his face betrayed his disgust and rage for my words.
"A serious allegation." He forced through gritted teeth.
"But not unfounded. You planned this invasion, you were prepared while we were not! You invaded without warning, we were unable to arm ourselves in time. You phased into our homes and slaughtered us without mercy. You removed the weapons and systems with which we are proficient only so we would be forever into your game. This is not glorious combat, this is genocide!" My voice grew louder and bolder with each sentence, as I unloaded 24 hours of grief and fury upon those who had ruined my world.

"Is that the best you can do? The desperate excuses of a race unable to fight for itself? It is you who is without honour. You are pathetic."
"Then you leave me no choice. Commander, I challenge you to a duel of honour! I assume you have duels in your culture?"
"Yes. What are your terms, human?"
"You versus me, to the death. No interference. Winner retains their honour. Plus, if I win, your invasion is halted until I am granted an audience with your leader."
"Very well, I accept your terms. Prepare to meet the true meaning of combat!"
"Ugh. Less of the trashtalk, more swordy. Please."

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (8)

The Vakarians forces continued across the bridge and fanned out around the apartment complex. The buildings were arranged in a U-shape, with the base of the U facing the bridge and the uncovered side opening out onto the main road. The main force of the Vakarians gathered within the courtyard, while some remained stationed along the perimeter of the complex. There was a moment of silence, the atmosphere electric. I could see students in other apartments, glaring nervously at the gathered horde. I readied my shield, a simple wood and leather reconstruction used in MedRen displays, and double checked that Sue's knife was still tucked into my belt. The commanding Vakarian raised his sword, and bellowed some manner of war chant.

The battle began immediately. The gathered horde split and raced to the seven stairway towers. I noted with some relief that the commander was not in the group heading to our tower. Meanwhile, all along the perimeter, more Vakarians were breaking windows and entering the ground floor apartments. I heard the smashing of glass below us, for all the good it would do them. They still only had one access point to the upper floors. Dave and Sarah peppered the approaching aliens as they reached our tower. The stairs were just wide enough for two to approach our barricade at once. Tony and I kept our shield raised, limiting their range of attack significantly, striking back only when they  presented an opportunity. Each one we killed became an obstacle for the ones approaching, who had to unceremoniously toss their fallen comrades over the handrail to make space.

We had slain about twenty with ease, before our fortune wained. While we grew tired, less focused, sloppy, their numbers were seemingly endless. Each enemy we killed only served to make way for another. It was inevitable that one of us would make a mistake sooner or later. Yet another Vakarian approached me, swinging his sword two-handed in a downward motion. I readied my shield to deflect, but I was too slow. Instead of absorbing the force of his impact, I only managed to deflect it downwards. His blade bit deep into the wooden barricade. As he struggled to free the blade for the timber support of our sofa, I brought my blade forward, thrusting into his chest. As he fell, his sword emerged from the barricade, causing it to sag alarmingly in the middle. Even our barrier wouldn't hold out much longer!

Tony noticed the damage sustained by the barrier and turned to me, looking for ideas. I shrugged and returned to my post. There was nothing we could do about it mid battle at any rate. If the Vakarians forces their way through it, we'd just have to fight man to man. Or rather, man to giant alien warrior. We were screwed.

The battle continued well into the night, where we fought by the light of flaming torches Dave had made from chair legs, old shirts and alcohol. Once again proving that if you're in a life or death situation, make sure you're with a chemist. Tony and I took turns tagging out with Sue and Dave, allowing each of us to eat, hydrate and attempt to rest. Not surprisingly however, it's hard to sleep with a horde of murderous creatures pounding on your door. After several hours of darkness, Tony and I were once again leading the defense when tragedy struck. Tony had  stabbed a Vakarian in the neck, where his blade had become lodged in the bone. Without thinking, he leaned over the barrier to wrestle it free as the next alien arrived. It swung quickly, catching Tony right on the shoulder. The blade sank in deep, several inches at least. Tony roared in agony, his right arm falling limp as muscle was severed. Behind me I heard Susan gasp in shock, while Sarah began to sob uncontrollably. I tried to pull him back over the barrier. Maybe, if we could treat the wound... until I realized the extent of the damage. As the Vakarian prized his blade from Tony, the wound spewed forth crimson blood. Through the large gash I could see the white of bone before it was stained red, as well as strands of severed sinew and tendon.

With the blade removed, Tony easily came with me as I pulled, causing me to collapse backwards as his lifeless body fell on me. Susan and Dave rushed to man the defenses as I lay there, stunned. I'm the first to admit that Tony is far from the nicest guy, in fact he can be a bit of a dick. But I couldn't imagine him dead, couldn't process the lifeless body in my arms. Tony had died, believing that my plan would keep us safe. I had given him hope, which he died to preserve. But that hope was a lie, I was a child playing the hero, and now people were dying because of it.

After a while, it may have been minutes or hours, I couldn't tell anymore, the sun began to rise. A shrill cry rang out from the courtyard. Part shout, part whistle. The Vakarians stopped in their advance and returned to the courtyard abruptly. Not thinking clearly, I raced downstairs after them, Dave and Sue calling after me but remaining on the stairs. I pushed my way through the piled corpses and emerged from the building. Ahead of me, in the throng of Vakarians, stood their commander. I stared at him in vengeful fury, readying my blade. For Tony's sake, I was going to kill him, no matter the cost. He looked at me calmly, and his eyes had just a hint of respect, as if he expected us all to have perished by now. He spoke.
"You are a worthy foe. Now, we tend to the fallen and commit them to our shining Gods. We grant you time to perform your own rites. You have one Earth hour."
With that, his hand reached to a small brown device on his belt, with a golden hemisphere on it. He pressed the gold button, and instantly began to shimmer in the rays if the rising sun. After a moment, he had disinterested into nothing. The rest of his men also faded away. I turned around,looking back into our tower. Even the bodies there had vanished.

After a few moments, Susan appeared at the doorway. She smiled sweetly, but I could see the pain of loss behind her eyes too. "Is it over then? Or is that too much to ask?" she asked. In spite of everything, I chuckled.
"Afraid so. This is just a pause, to clear the dead from the battlefield."
"Well, we'd better make use of our time then. Dave can reinforce the barrier, why don't you go and wash off the blood. I'll sit with Sarah."
I looked at this woman, so resolute in the face of danger, even though she must be as upset as the rest of us. I owed it to her to keep fighting. The bones of an idea began to form in my mind.
"Sounds like a plan. But I'll go one better. When they return, we're bringing the fight to them. Nobody else dies. I have a plan, and we end this. Today!"

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (7)

Sarah's negativity was infectious. There was no point attempting to resist, to fight back against the Vakarians, because there was no victory to be had. Even if we liberated our planet, it would be decades before any sense of normality would return. Honestly, I was fit to give up right there and then. But as I glanced around the room, my eyes met with Susan's. Her eyes remained bright and joyful, despite everything. She still saw hope, even now. Then, her eyes narrowed, my thoughts betrayed by my face. Her glare frightened me more than extinction itself. If I gave up now I'd have her to reckon with.

I found my reason to fight. Renewed with vigour, I leapt to my feet. "Sarah! Stop. There is a point to fighting, of course there is. We are alive, all of us here. And as long as we are alive, there is hope. We are not beaten until every single one of us is dead. No sooner! Indomitable, that's us! We fight for each other, for the ones we care about. We protect them so they can protect us. Together, we win!"
"I... I needed that." Sarah stammered through mild tears.
"C'mon" said Tony, leading her over to the sofas, casually slipping his arm over her shoulder as they walked.

"Well." Dave stated, ignoring the drama before him. "We still have to discuss weapons."
"Tony and I have acquired Vakarian blades. Plus the one you killed makes three. What about the MedRen gear in the closet?"
"Most of those are dulled play swords but I've already taken out the three sharp 'action' blades. And the archery gear." stated Susan.
"Grand job. Sarah and I shall take the bows, and the MedRen blades as insurance." Said Dave.
"That leaves the third Vakarian sword for you Susan." I added.

We spent the next... about... Well, it's hard to judge time without a clock, but it was certainly early evening and at least an hour had passed in silence. We were all preparing for the coming fight in our own ways. Dave was humming TV theme tunes, Tony & Sarah were cuddled on the couch like it was date night, while Sue and I were polishing and sharpening the blades.
"By the way" said Sue, after a time. "I'd like you to have this." She presented me with a small leather bundle. As I unraveled it, I discovered that it contained a small, ornate dagger, about the length of a pencil and as wide as a ruler.
"It was a present. From my grandfather." She explained. "His way of keeping me safe from drunken boys at parties."
"But why are you?" I asked, unsure.
"I think you know. Or I hope you do. But also because if any of us is going to do something foolish enough to need it, that somebody will be you."
I was unsure of what to say, I wasn't accustomed to receiving gifts from women, not to mention women I fancied.
"Thanks. Thank you, deeply." I stuttered, leaning in to embrace her. She shrugged off my advances and got quickly to her feet.
"Sorry if I misread the situation...." I began to apologize before being shushed by her.
"No, look!" She hissed, pointing out of the window. I followed her finger with my gaze, looking out towards the college buildings we had escaped earlier today. There, along the footbridge and continuing back further still was a veritable horde of Vakarians. They strode in loose formation, lacking military precision but certainly more organized than a rabble. On the near side of the bridge, leading the advance was a Vakarian clad only in animal furs, wearing no significant armour. His blade was larger than the others, a masterwork of smithing. He had all the bearings of a leader.

Susan and I spurred the others into action. Rapidly, we took our weapons and manned our positions. Tony and I would man the barricade on the stairwell, with Sue ready to relieve us when required. Dave and Sarah would fire from the apartment windows, thinning the ranks before they arrived. There was only time for a few final words of encouragement. "Well folks, time to put our plan to the test. Let's should these Vakarian vagabonds the true strength of the human race. They think they can crush us underfoot without a thought, to service their tough guy ego. We're here to burst their bubble. Now, who's ready to kick some alien arse?!"

TW Casefiles: The Never-War (6)

Tony and I continued across the bridge towards our friends in the apartment complex. As we crossed, I glanced upwards towards our second floor window, hoping to see any sign of life. There! Through the glass, I could discern a face staring back at me. As we drew closer, I recognized it as Susan, her eyes widening with realisation. Similarly, my heart skipped a beat, she was alive! I felt emboldened, I had a reason to fight, something to hold on to and give me hope in these dark times.

Sue opened the window and called out to us. And honestly, I was overly pleased that she put my name first.
"Arven! Tony! Thank God you're alive!"
"Same to you" I shouted back. "But we can talk more comfortably once were safe. Are there any Vakarians in the stairwell?"
"You mean those creatures?" she asked, quizzically. "One tried to get in a few minutes ago but Dave pushed it over the banister."
"Cool. We'll be right up. Stay where you are!"
"Oh no, I was going to pop to the shops for sweets, maybe see a film. But if you say stay..." Susan chided.
"Point taken. But you know what I mean." I said ruefully.
"Course I do. But watch the barricades, Dave should be almost finished."

The Vakarians were less prevalent than in the college, it seemed. For whatever reason, they had focused their attacks on the campus first. Perhaps they were targeting areas of dense population first. I shuddered at the thought. This wasn't a battle of skill as the Vakarian had said. The Vakarians were taking every advantage to maximize our casualties. So much for their cherished honour. You know, I've never really liked a bully, but until now, I didn't have the abilities or the courage to fight back.

We quickly came around the building without incident, and entered the tower to my block. The ground floor apartment was open, the door having been forced open. From what little I could see through the doorway, the place had been ransacked. Above us on the first floor landing, Dave was sliding furniture across the span of the stairs. Tony and I rushed up and clambered across the couch, to relative safety.
"You went with my zombie plan?" I asked Dave.
"Yeah, but it was all Sue's idea." he answered, returning to reinforce the barricade.
"There was nobody around downstairs so we might have broken in for extra supplies" said Susan, who emerged from our apartment. Caught up in the moment, I threw my arms around her cordially. I was slightly surprised to feel her returning the hug.
"I'm glad you're alive." I said, softly.
"Well, someone had to take charge while you were gone." she said, smiling at me. We released each other slowly, before I continued.
"What makes me the leader?"
"Just look at you. This is your survival plan, you've obviously fought your way back here..."
"Well that could have been Tony." I said, modestly.
"Tony needs one of us to kill spiders in his room. It was you."
"Oi!" Cried Tony, indignantly.
"Just try and deny it!" Retorted Susan, as we all laughed, enjoying a brief moment of normality.

As we continued urgently shoring up our defences, I kept thinking about Sue's words. Had I really become the leader of the group without realizing? Sure, I was the one forewarned about aliens, but that in itself is not criteria to lead. The rest of the group seemed to trust me implicitly, but I didn't understand why. Was it simply because I had a reputation as a crazed doomsday prepper, or were they just content that they weren't the one leading us into an in-winnable war? In essence, had I just eaten the last slice of a cake nobody else wanted to finish? A cake which I was expected to to replace, but an army of genocidal butchers stood in our way? That... got away from me somewhat actually.

With the defences completed, we returned to the living area for a quick snack before the inevitable battle. It had been hours since Tony or I had eaten. As we ate, the conversation turned to how we had each survived, and what I had learned from the Vakarian.
"So, Dave killed the one in the hall. And that was the only one you saw?" I asked.
"Not quite." replied Susan. "We saw a couple more enter other towers, or walk by, but we kept quiet here and nothing else noticed us."
"Good. Very good."
"For now! But we can't stay trapped here forever!" Interjected Sarah.
"Yeah. We need action." said Tony, obviously trying to impress Sarah.
"If you want to wander out there and bring the fight to them, be my guest, nice knowing you. But our best bet is just to survive." I countered.
"We don't know the extent of the catastrophe." explained Susan. "If the Vakarian is to be trusted, it's a worldwide invasion, and we've lost anything with a battery. No phones, satellites, transport. The best weapon our armies have are rifles, assuming they're not using the fingerprint ID tech."
"My dad has a gun." said Tony, curling his mouth into a smug grin.
"And it's sixty miles away." countered Susan. I couldn't help but smile myself as the grin was wiped from Tony's face. Susan continued. "And we don't have enough countywide to be effective anyway. Even if things are different abroad, we're in this for the long haul now."

"There are no quick fixes or easy solutions. Nobody to come and save us. We are on our own, and we have to fight. Smartly. Take every advantage we can." I added.
"Nobody to save us? But you've just told us all about this Doctor of yours. The one who taught you about alien shit. Why can't he help?" spat Sarah.
This was a question I had been asking myself. The Doctor bounced around the universe saving people. Surely Vakarians perverting the course of human history would warrant an intervention. Unless this was always supposed to happen.
"Maybe he thinks we're not worth saving." said Tony, still siding with Sarah.
"No." I said firmly. "He wouldn't abandon us."
"But he has! You said it yourself!" shouted Sarah. "We're going to die!"
"Please. Keep quiet, we don't want to alert the Vakarians." Susan pleaded.
"What's the use? It's futile!" Sarah continued to wail. This was what I was afraid of. I wasn't strong enough to lead. I didn't have any answers, not really. I'd gotten lucky killing a Vakarian and suddenly I was in charge? I couldn't do this. There was no point in it....