The Ice Warrior Cometh (Sarah Jane)

In the year 1981, in Eling, everyone was going about their normal day. And, at first, everything seemed normal enough. It was a sunny but cloudy day, everyone was off to work or whatever else they needed to do, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. That is expect for the trio of cloaked men with very stiff faces.

They were standing and waiting in a line, being careful not to draw attention from where they stood. They more or less blended in and yet if looked at long enough you could see their faces looked rubbery and their clothing seemed a bit off. Everything about them screamed 'fake' and yet no one bothered to notice. They were waiting near the flats in Eling for their target to appear.


A little ways from Eling, far enough where no one would see, the TARDIS appeared. But instead of the Doctor coming out something else did. Something large and covered in armor that, after leaving the TARDIS, watched as it left. Knowing what he had to do, the warrior walked off to find Sarah Jane Smith.

It was about this time every day that she took a brisk walk from the publishing company down to her favorite little coffee shop. Life had become rather idea. She'd made great strides in getting her work published on an international scale since the Doctor had dropped her off. She missed him, but frankly spent more time winnowing out her next expose, or giving spatial co-ordinates to the latest lost alien. Three years on her own, and she was quite proud of her accomplishments thus far.

It was a sunny day, and she was glad she'd gotten a new suit this year of the finest thin weave of pinstriped gray wool It was too hot for a vest, and she wore her most crisp white shirt. She took the short cut through the ally. It was that bright of a day, and a chat with the doorman back at the publishers had made her late.

The men had come to attention when Sarah Jane exited her home. They watched as she walked off, not being noticed, before following after her. The were careful with their walking, still staying grouped together while also maneuvering so that they could avoid the crowds of people and stay on her trail. When she came to the alley they still followed, only now they increased speed to where they were right behind her.

Just as Sarah Jane would turn they reached out and grabbed for her, trying to capture her. They were close enough to where Sarah Jane would be able to here mechanical sounds underneath, revealing they were machines.

She ignored the footsteps behind her. She was not the only one who took this short cut, and she was unconcerned. She could hear though, that they were in a hurry. So much so, she drifted casually to one side so they could pass. There was an . .an odd sound . .something mechanical, that made her turn around. Three of them. Hooded and reaching for her. She dragged in a ragged breath and threw up her hand as if she could warn them off with intent.

That was when she stumbled back over something, and went down with a startled scream.

The robotic men saw as Sarah Jane tripped before reaching down and surrounding her. They held her wrists and ankles so she wouldn't struggle as they tried to lift her. They were, of course, string robots who managed to hold off her attempts to fight back.

As Sarah Jane struggled she'd managed to tear one of the rubber faces off to reveal a robotic face of a Roboform, something she'd not known of in this time. This only added to the fact they were all roboforms and all with the intent of taking her.

Before they could something came walking in from the other side of the alleyway, something that made the robos stop and look, only to see an Ice Warrior standing there.

She thrashed as they raised her off of the ground. It didn't seem fair it had happened with no warning. She yanked to escape the multiple grips the things had on her. She could feel it now. Metal. Whatever skin or clothing they had, they were metal men underneath.

As she screamed, people in the square came to see what was happening. When she knocked the mask off of one of them and saw who had her, her screams cut off abruptly. They were carrying her with no recourse, and now she saw to whom.

An Ice Warrior.

"No! No! Please no! Dooctoooor!"

Sometimes, when she was really in over her head, her friend simply arrived.

Seeing the Ice Warrior the roboforms dropped Sarah Jane and drew weapons towards him, only for all three to be blasted by a wrist blaster on the Warrior's armor. All three feel before either shorting out or exploding. Seeing his enemie down the Warrior walked towards the frightened woman and examined her.

When he was close enough he asked "Sarah Jane Smith?"

After she confirmed this he grabbed her mouth with one hand to keep her silent while picking her up in the free arm to carry her off. He took her through the other side of the alley where no one would seem them before trying to take her through a park. He did his best to stay out of sight despite being a very obvious looking monster holding a struggling woman.

They'd dropped her, drawing their weapons, much to her surprise.

She landed like a cat, even in her pumps, and could only duck for cover as the firefight commenced. It turned out to be entirely one sided, and all of the bodies fell distinctly away from her, leaving her untouched in the middle.

Mouth open, and hair a riot from her brief battle, she stood to meet that Ice Warrior as he strode toward her his jaw and fists all she could see of the actual creature. She stumbled back two steps but found herself against a wall. It stopped and stared at her, stared her up and down.

"Don't! Leave me alone!" she insisted, though it was leaving her alone.
"Sarah Jane Smith?"

She stood tall.

"Yes." She sounded kinda mad about it too.

Then he drew her up in his arms, clamping a hand over her mouth, his grip like steely bands. She could hear sirens on their way, but the rest of the street was full of people running away. None had stayed to stop the Ice Warrior and Sarah Jane was glad. It was sure as death.

What did that say of her as they stood in the shadows, her efforts to free herself absolutely ineffective. She'd kicked him quite a few times before it hurt her feet to much.

She was sweating and crying and plotting his doom. Or at least a few appropriate insults, the only way she'd really be able to hurt him.

After gaining enough distance from the running people and arriving in a secluded section of the park the Ice Warrior dropped Sarah Jane to the ground. He hissed as he breathed before looking around, making sure there was no sign of being followed or any more Roboforms. When he finished he looked back to Sarah Jane, obviously still afraid of what was going on.

"Silence, Sarah Jane Smith of Earth." he hissed at her. "You risk giving your position away. The Roboforms are still hunting you."

She stayed where he dropped her. It wouldn't have knocked the wind out of her if the Ice Warrior had not had such a grip on her middle for the last few minutes. As it was, she lay there, pushed up on one arm, legs half curled to the side. As she tossed her hair back to look at him, it was clear that she was angry as hell.

"Your Family lacks all Honor! You must have come from a cracked egg! Gone thick and spoiled, I'm not armed, what do you think you are--"

He interrupted her, the hiss and the impatience at strange odds with his words.

"What . .and you want to be the one sure to kill me? Is there some price on my head?" She'd get up as soon as the stitch in her side settled. Until then, she was going to get in her licks, then outrun this overweighted relic of a bygone day.

Hmm. He looked awfully young for that.

When she'd called his family dishonorable and mentioned him being from a cracked egg the warrior gave a more aggressive hiss right in her face to intimidate her. He bared his teeth and his red eyes almost blared through the visors of his helmet. This mission was already a disagreeable one and yet he had his orders.

"Careful what you say, Sarah Jane Smith." he hissed before backing up. "I am not here to claim your life. I am here to protect it. I have been sent by the one called The Doctor."

At the mention of that Zalatar knew that she would be a bit more agreeable. He relaxed a little as well from her last comment, even though he wanted to do something harmful to kae sure she;d not do it again.

Sweat broke out across her shoulders and along her hairline as the Ice Warrior hissed at her. She went down on one elbow as well, uselessly shielding her head. Maybe she just didn't want to see what was coming.

At his words, her arm dropped in pure shock. She got to her feet, though her side still ached a little.

"The Doctor?" She sounded full of disbelief. "To protect me?" She started brushing herself off. Her hands shook a little. "Since when does an Ice Warrior do anything but what they're told by the Commander? What the hell is going on?"

"I AM under orders by my commander, Sarah Jane Smith." he hissed again, but this time in a more 'matter-of-fact' tone. "The Doctor and my commander have sent me to this time to protect you from the Roboforms. They were sent from the future by the ones who want you dead. The Slitheen. They have attacked other companions of the Doctor and he is trying to deal with them. But he has charged me with protecting you while he deals with them at the source." He waited a moment to let her sink it all in before asking "Does this satisfy you, Sarah Jane Smith?"

"Not quite." she said in clipped tones, her bottom front teeth then pressing to meet the front top teeth as if she wished to nip him. The she took a strong step forward and kicked that Ice Warrior right in the shin with the strong side of her foot.

She might as well have kicked a metal pole. Down she crouched, gripping her knees and gritting her teeth, head angled up to glare at him, and lazer beams coming out her eyes (or so she wished).

"Now-" She panted "I'm satisfied."

"Who is your Commander?" She stood up straight again, and kept her voice down now, starting to think just maybe this might be a tool sent to her by the Doctor. Stars, that man was trouble.

Zalatar looked down at where she kicked, seeing that it was ineffective with his armor on. While any attack against him could be considered hostile, obviously this gesture meant nothing to him. He was to protect her and other else. At least this failed attack on him satisfied her in some way, but Zalatar could not see how or why.

In any case when she asked about his commander he replied "Someone of your planet Earth. She gave me orders to protect you and to follow your orders and answer your questions until I am relieved of my duty."

It was a habit of hers to try to believe six impossible things before breakfast.  Not all day, but only for a moment. To try an idea on for size.

When she took a second look at circumstance, and cross referenced that with what she knew about Ice Warriors, there was no reason to doubt him.  She did not think an Ice Warrior would bother to lie. What would be the point?  Clearly, he could kill or capture her in a moment.  

A slow smile grew on her face. She regarded him, arms crossed, as she put on a display of the straightest, whitest teeth in England.

"Well then, we can't have them going after anyone else, now can we?" she said with solid determination.  "So what you're going to do is keep me in one piece while I hunt down these Slitheen.  We're going to follow the money.  We're going to the London Stock Exchange." She looked him up and down, unable to contain herself from baiting him, considering the fright he'd put her through.  And the power she suddenly wielded.

"I don't suppose you brought anything else to wear?" she was absolutely pleased with how deadpan she managed to make her tone.

He could tell this human, Sarah Jane Smith, was up to something. The way she looked at him after he explained his duties and the sudden sense of power she felt to wield with an Ice Warrior like him in her control. Zalatar wanted to say she shouldn't think on it too much as even he, as a soldier, has his standards.

As she went on with her plan to hunt the Slitheen Zalatar tried to object before realizing he had no choice. Her plans fit into his orders with his commander and, to his annoyance, there was officially nothing he could do to break it. However he did admire her want to take down the enemy at this time even though the Doctor was handling them in the present.

Though when she asked if he had anything else to wear he stated "Ice Warriors only need one thing, aside from their honor,: armor. But I must insist on saying that the Slitheen are not in full power at this time. For now, they are only a simple family of Raxacoricofallapatorians."