by Gary Russell
The reaction was instantaneous and three fold.
Firstly, a massive burst of probic energy reacted with the steel-tipped heel and sent a burst outwards, via the shoe, draining Kaagh. Secondly, the Sontaran commander was unconscious before he hit the floor. Finally, that burst of energy threw Chrissie’s also unconscious form across the room where she crashed into the wall opposite and slid to the floor.
Alan and Maria were at her side in an instant.
Sarah Jane whipped up her sonic lipstick and zapped the control devices on the necks of the two Skinners. The devices ceased glowing red and then fell off, closely followed by Lucy and the Professor collapsing unconscious.
Clyde was at Lucy’s side while Luke headed for the computer, now at 97%, and ripped the USB cable out of it.
The countdown froze on 98% and a textbox appeared. DOWNLOAD INTERRUPTED. PROGRAM CORRUPTED.
But there was no time for celebrations, because they were all worried about Chrissie Jackson.
Alan said he could feel a pulse. ‘Just a bang on the head,’ he told Maria. ‘She’ll be fine.’
What a relief.
Sarah Jane plucked the broken heel out of Kaagh’s probic vent, noting the steel tip that caused the energy burst. ‘What I’d like to know,’ she said quietly, ‘is how Chrissie knew where to hit a Sontaran? That, and what she’s doing here in the first place?’
And her eyes met Maria’s, so full of apology and concern. And Sarah Jane smiled and shrugged. ‘I suppose it can wait.’
Chrissie began to stir, mumbling Maria’s name. Maria clicked her fingers at Luke. The gas, quickly’
‘What for,’ he said, scrabbling to pass the canister to her.
‘If we can get Mum home before she comes round, maybe we can convince her that none of this happened. That she banged her head, had a bad dream.’
Luke nodded. ‘Your mum will have saved the world and will never know.’
Alan grinned. ‘Believe me, it’s better this way. We’d never hear the end of it otherwise.
‘Maria?’ said a drowsy Chrissie.
‘Go back to sleep, Mum,’ Maria replied and squirted gas into her face.
And Chrissie was out like a light.
Just as Lucy and Professor Skinner started to come round.
‘What on earth is that,’ the Professor said, pointing at Kaagh.
‘Don’t worry,’ said Sarah Jane. ‘Commander Kaagh has been decommissioned.’
Chapter Eleven
The way back
They had frog marched Kaagh back to his ship once he had come round, Alan Jackson keeping the Sontaran blaster aimed, rather shakily it had to be said, at the Commander.
Sarah Jane had gone into the pod with her sonic lipstick and zapped a few things, and reported back to Kaagh that all his on-board weaponry was disabled. ‘So what now?’ Kaagh asked. ‘Will you execute me?’ Sarah Jane shook her head and Kaagh growled. ‘You are too weak to honour your enemy with death,’ he sneered.
‘There’s nothing weak in allowing an enemy to live. Quite the opposite. Now, leave Earth and never come back. Because if you do, my friends at UNIT will be alerted and they’ll seek you out. And they won’t be as gracious in victory as I am.’
‘At least I would die at the hand of soldiers.’
‘There’s no glory in a pointless death, Kaagh. Even a Sontaran knows that.’
Kaagh looked around at his captors. ‘This is worse than death. Defeated by females and Half- Forms. If I was cursed with shame before, what is this now? I have no place in the Empire. I am not worthy of scrubbing barrack-room floors.’
Sarah Jane smiled at him. ‘Oh, there’s more to the universe than war, Commander. Take a look. You might find something else to fill your life.’
Kaagh stomped into his ship. ‘I will go, Sarah Jane Smith. But I shall not forget you. Sontarans will yet cry my name in battle.’
He entered his pod and immediately the doors began to close.
‘Well, that went as well as could be expected,’ Sarah Jane said to the group. ‘Now, I think we need to get away from here!’
Alan and Maria followed Sarah Jane, while Luke and Clyde eased the Skinners behind some thick trees and everyone looked up as the pod rose, sending heat and wind around the woods. Then, at colossal speed, it shot straight up into the sky and was out of sight in seconds.
Sarah Jane felt Maria’s arm round her waist and she hugged her friend tightly. ‘Do you think we’ve seen the last of him?’
Sarah Jane smiled. ‘I hope so. Then again, with some people, it really doesn’t matter how far away they travel, they never really go away.’
And the two friends hugged, each knowing that the time had come to let Maria move on with her life.
A few hours later, while Professor Skinner sorted out the Tycho Project, the Jacksons regrouped in Alan’s living room at 36 Bannerman Road.
Chrissie was on the sofa, starting to wake up.
‘Mum, are you okay?’
Chrissie focused on her daughter’s face. ‘What happened?’
Alan held up the shoe with its detached heel. ‘I always said these heels would be the death of you. You tripped and banged your head.’
Chrissie reached up to feel for a bump. ‘Oh, I’m fine.’ She sat upright. ‘Bit woozy though. And I had a weird dream.’
A look passed between Maria and her dad. ‘Dream?’
‘Yeah, I dreamt your dad got a job in America.’
Alan sighed. ‘I did. If I take it.’
And Maria knew it was her decision. ‘I’d love to go to America.’ She sat next to Chrissie. ‘And you’ll visit, won’t you?’
‘Oh try and keep me away,’ Chrissie laughed. ‘They have shops the size of aircraft hangers there!’
Alan looked at Maria. ‘Are you sure? I mean, think of everything you’d be leaving behind.’
Maria laughed. ‘Oh, Dad, you can’t leave the universe behind. Let’s go.’
Chapter Twelve
Redemption
Six weeks had passed since Kaagh had vanished into the sky, and Mr Smith had found no trace of him or his pod anywhere in the vicinity of Earth.
Sarah Jane was in the attic, sorting out some other stuff when she heard the door open behind her and she took a deep breath.
The Jacksons had sold their home, the removal trucks had taken nearly everything away over the last couple of days, ready to be shipped to Washington DC, and today was the final farewell.
‘Everything packed?’ she asked Maria.
The girl nodded. ‘I just wanted to have one last look around. And to say goodbye to Mr Smith.’
‘In atomic terms, we all remain connected to the universe, Maria,’ the computer said. ‘So I will just say au revoir.’
Maria looked at Sarah Jane. ‘Will you come and visit us? Please?’
‘Oh, of course I will,’ Sarah Jane said, taking Maria’s hand. ‘And I am so sorry about how I first reacted when you told me about America.’
‘It doesn’t matter. You were busy.’
‘No. No, I was wrong. You see, for the first time, I’ve found a family.’ Sarah Jane smiled at Maria. ‘And so soon, so suddenly, it felt like I was losing it. Losing the daughter I always wanted.’
Maria hugged her tightly. ‘I’ve so much to thank you for,’ Maria said, ‘I don’t know where to begin. All the things I’ve seen, my life — wherever I am, whatever happens from now on — it’s always going to be wonderful. I’m going to miss you so much.’
‘And I’ll miss you, too. But I also know I’ll never lose you.’
‘I’ve seen such… amazing things,’ said Maria tearfully.
‘Amazing things are all around you, Maria. You just have to know where to look, and you will always see them. Because, for all the wonderful things in my life, you have helped me find so many more. I can’t ever thank you enough for that.’
And they hugged tightly for the last time.
Twenty minutes later, it was all commotion in Bannerma
n Road as Alan and Maria got ready to pile into a black cab that would take them to Heathrow Airport.
Clyde hugged Maria. ‘One favour,’ he said. ‘If you run into Vanessa Hudgens, give her my number, yeah?’
‘Promise.’
Maria moved to Luke, who was staring at his feet, unable to catch her eye. She eased his chin up with her hand.
‘I’ve never said goodbye to anyone before,’ he said quietly.
‘Neither have I. Not like this.’
‘I’m sorry that I said I didn’t want you to go.’
Maria laughed. ‘Well, I’m not.’ And she pulled him close to her, hugged him so he wouldn’t see her cry. And she wouldn’t see him cry again, too. ‘It’s only America, Luke,’ she said softly. ‘Not another planet.’
‘But it’s not the other side of the street either.’
She pulled back and stared into his eyes. ‘Don’t let Clyde make you too cynical, all right?’
And Luke reached over and kissed her, on the cheek. The first time he’d kissed a girl.
And Maria kissed him back.
Chrissie Jackson coughed meaningfully at Alan. ‘You should go. I’ve checked around the house, you’ve not left anything important behind.’
And he smiled at her. ‘No. No, I don’t think I have.’
Chrissie nodded, understanding exactly what he meant, but she held his hand for a moment longer and called Maria over. ‘There’s something I need to tell you. Ivan’s asked me to marry him.’
Maria threw herself at her mum, overjoyed. ‘That’s brilliant.’
And Alan kissed his ex-wife tenderly. ‘I’m really, really happy for you.’
‘Seemed like the right thing to do. Make an honest man of him.’ She looked at Maria. ‘So now you have to come back for the wedding. And I expect you to show me all the best shoe shops in Washington on our honeymoon.’
Alan checked his watch. ‘Come on, we need to get going.’
Maria saved her last look for Sarah Jane. ‘I love you,’ she whispered.
Sarah Jane nodded. ‘Me too.’
Maria got into the cab, as Alan looked across the roof at Sarah Jane. He didn’t speak, he just mouthed, “Thank you. For everything,” at her, and Sarah Jane nodded.
And a moment later, the cab was driving away. Sarah Jane took a deep breath and noticed that Chrissie was standing close beside her. Closer than ever before. She stood watching the cab, and even after it was out of sight, she never took her eyes off the road, unable to actually look Sarah Jane in the face.
‘I remember it all, you know.’
‘I’m sorry,’ lied Sarah Jane. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘Yes you do. The Sontaran. What you get up to in your attic. What happened to my shoe. And why Maria hung out with your lot. I’m not stupid, you know.’
‘But you didn’t tell Alan? Or Maria?’
‘They’d’ve wanted to keep an eye on me. They would have worried and fussed and stayed. And they deserve a new start.’
And then Chrissie did face Sarah Jane. ‘But don’t worry. I won’t say anything.’
‘Thank you.’
Chrissie smiled. ‘Don’t get me wrong, Mary Jane. I still think you’re weird.’
And with that she walked back to Ivan’s red sports car, gave her home one last look and drove off, never looking back at Sarah Jane or the boys.
Luke took his mum’s hand. ‘I’ll miss Maria so much,’ he said.
Sarah Jane squeezed his hand, and put her other arm around Clyde. ‘I learned a long time ago that if you’re missing somebody, just look up at the night sky. Whoever it is, wherever they are, chances are they’re looking at the stars just like you. Sometimes, for all its size, the universe isn’t such a big place after all.’
And later that night, she and the boys would do just that.
