I beta-read this and I'll say again: an excellent plot and Daisy is a wonderful creation. And I got all but one series reference.

And the illustration is gorgeous.

Thanks again.

Woo! Rock on, Daisy!

This was great. I'm in awe of your plotting skills. RTD should be too, even if there was something kind of satisfying about Rose!Sue disintegrating Daleks with a wave of her golden hand...

Wow! Thanks.

even if there was something kind of satisfying about Rose!Sue disintegrating Daleks with a wave of her golden hand...

Yeah, my feelings about Parting of the Ways is that it was marvelous thematically and emotionally, but lacking in logic. Of course, one can get away with a lack of logic in Doctor Who a lot more easily...

I greatly enjoyed that. Thanks!

***SPOILER***









One question for you: how did Rose get the TARDIS across to the USA? Sending it by sea and road would surely have been rather expensive.

(a) she got a loan, which she paid back later
(b) she stole the money by reverse-engineering the Doctor's virus and using that to crack the financial system
(c) she saved money on airfare to the USA by simply shipping the TARDIS by sea in a shipping container, and living inside the TARDIS for a few months without coming out

Take your pick. 8-)

Haven't seen the new Who, so I'm operating in ignorance, but this story stands alone on its own tentacles feet.

Lovely! Thanks for writing it.

Oh, thank you! I'm glad and surprised it stands on its own, because it's fairly continuity-heavy.

Very creative and an enjoyable read - well done!

Character voices feel just right.

Thank you!

It was absolutely essential in this one that the characters be right, because in this story, more than any of my others, character is plot. At least for getting a certain character to do what she did.

Big congratulations for finishing!! I'm waiting to read it, of course, until I get to see Nine in March. Can't wait. :)

Do you know if they are going to be showing one episode a week? Because then it would be more like May before you'd seen them all...

I suppose it probably will be one episode a week--that'll be best for the station, though wouldn't it be lovely to have them all in a marathon! But as soon as I've seen them all, I'm going to read all of your Ninth Doctor fics; it's in my plan, and I'm going to do it.

On a completely other topic--I'm tied up for the next few hours, but would you want a call from me sometime later today?

but would you want a call from me sometime later today?

That would be lovely.

An excellent alternate plotline there. Daisy makes a great original character, and I loved all the extra web-based canon you managed to include.

Gina

Thank you!

Wow.

That was--pretty fantastic. (And after watching the Ninth Doctor, I doubt I'll ever use that word again without thinking, heh.)

I'm a little weirded out by Daisy, but that's perhaps as it should be. And as an alternate to "Parting of the Ways," this plays out very well, straightforward and logical with smart!Rose instead of the TARDIS's deus ex machina (not that I minded that version, either).

I did love the link back to Dalek, because the thing that bugged me most about "Parting of the Ways" was that we'd been told only Van Statten's Dalek survived. And I dislike being played like that for the sake of "shock value."

*puts story in memories*

Thanks!

I'm a little weirded out by Daisy, but that's perhaps as it should be.

Because...?

straightforward and logical with smart!Rose instead of the TARDIS's deus ex machina (not that I minded that version, either).

Yes, I also liked the canonical version on its own merits, but I really like having Rose be smart!Rose too (I get really irritated by giggly!ship!Rose). Mind you, this Rose has diverged from canonical Rose because she's suffered, endured, and is more mature. (hugs AU-Rose)

because the thing that bugged me most about "Parting of the Ways" was that we'd been told only Van Statten's Dalek survived.

That didn't actually bug me, because the Doctor isn't omniscient, so how was he to know that van Statten's Dalek wasn't the only one? Sure, the Dalek didn't find any other Daleks around, but (a) there's no reason to suppose that the Emperor Dalek was around in 2012 and (b) even if it was, it was in hiding.

OK, I've taken down the election posters, so now is probably the best chance of getting back to Necessity before I do some proper work.

It's also a good time because I caught up with the second part of the latest Dalek story last night. That was one of the reasons why Necessity had been in my mind recently, though it's recurred several times since I first read it last summer. I'm afraid it can take me months to tackle things at the moment, particularly the things I want to do rather than have to.

But one of the reasons why I keep thinking about it is because, every time the current Who does Daleks, especially given RTD's fondness for Daleks-use-humans-to-renew-race, I keep muttering "this could all be done so much better, and kerravonsen did it much better."

And crikey, do I prefer this let's-get-on-and-work-something-out Rose to the drippy one we got last year. I don't suppose they'd ever have attempted to do the "seven years of study, hard work and planning" as an episode - not enough action - but it would have been so easy to devote a minute at the end of Doomsday to Rose getting on with her new life at AU Torchwood, enjoying her work and her family's company but hinting that her ultimate motive is to find a way back to the Doctor.

I was delighted by the way you, and Rose, and ultimately Daisy, managed to make such good use of your resources. Jackie's (different) truck, the Rift, the Slitheen teleport, van Statten's collection, the Chula first aid kit, Adam's download to the answerphone - and Mickey. I like Mickey suggesting Rose gets back to her A-levels, reminding her of the teleport and generally keeping her going. (Now we've had Torchwood, there's a certain irony in Mickey sitting in Cardiff asking whether that Jack guy will be turning up "anywhere around here", but I suppose he wouldn't if she didn't rescue him.) I also like the way Mickey drew her out on what she was doing at the Hoskins wedding and, as a result of the ensuing discussion on the dangers of changing history, challenged her on her later plan. It was sadly typical of Rose to abandon him at that point; since he probably had the resources to sabotage the plan (having contacted van Statten already) I presume he was finally too loyal to doubt her.

After Rose infiltrated van Statten's base, I particularly enjoyed the scene where she watched the events of Dalek on-screen, because of the parallels of the young Rose and the mature Rose learning different parts of the story of the Time War. (And by now, of course, I miss the Ninth Doctor as much as she does.) Rose's final realisation of precisely what and whom the Doctor sacrificed to end the war makes her later fears about his use of the Delta Wave the more acute, and provide her with an extra motive to succeed - it's not just the Doctor she has to save, but her own race from what he did to the Time Lords.

[It says this is too long for one comment, so I'm going to have to break it here...]

[...continued]

That brings us to Daisy, whose gradual development creates a vivid new character. Her original horror and despair is close to that of the Dalek she used to be, but I like the fact that, even in her weakened form, she is trying to work out whether Rose could be used against the Doctor as a hostage. And her translation of Rose's demand into Dalek-thought: "It seemed that Rose Tyler required a different form of obedience, but it was still obedience."

Daisy taking to Heavy Metal and Bach (I wish there'd been a bit more of the latter, too) was an interesting touch, and when she later told the Daleks that "I will teach you how to rock and roll" I wondered whether that was a reference to Alexei Sayle in Revelation of the Daleks.

I was interested by the scene in which Rose discovers Daisy has discovered the Tardis and escaped; initially, it looks as if Daisy has betrayed her trust, but it turns out that Daisy has concluded the same of Rose. She's reached a level of maturity where Rose has to be straight with her. I like the fact that not only does she deduce Rose's plan as soon as she's witnessed the Doctor's message, but she's immediately ready to counter with her own deal. And her dry cynicism when they work out how to fly the Tardis: "Now we are one step closer to death."

Best of all, when Rose's plan fails, it's Daisy who comes up with her own Plan C by stealing the teleport and launching her direct attack on the Emperor. I was a little surprised that the Doctor and Rose went off for a drink while the civil war was waging - but evidently they were confident of Daisy's victory. I'd love to know what happened to the new Namu civilisation after that. I wouldn't count on their being sentimental about humans, but they might not wipe them out without a proper reason.

There are many other details I wanted to mention, such as the use of the cloister bell, Rose beginning to understand Welsh through the Tardis (a point picked up in The Christmas Invasion, the paint ball and her introducing shelves and beanbags to the console room. But the above is the broad gist of my response, and now I've got it down I'm going to read your own commentary.

[Nice birthday present it was, whenever it was opened.]

I like the fact that, even in her weakened form, she is trying to work out whether Rose could be used against the Doctor as a hostage.

That was Jonathan's idea. Much kudos to Jonathan for keeping Daisy's characterisation true.

I wondered whether that was a reference to Alexei Sayle in Revelation of the Daleks.

Actually, I'd completely forgotten about him. I think I tried to blot that particular adventure out of my mind...

And her dry cynicism when they work out how to fly the Tardis: "Now we are one step closer to death."

Yes, I do like that line.

I was a little surprised that the Doctor and Rose went off for a drink while the civil war was waging - but evidently they were confident of Daisy's victory.

It was meant to be an "after the war is over" drink... I admit I was too lazy to want to write about the civil war itself (I was desperately trying to finish the story before the deadline) so I tried to just skip over it. Looks like that didn't work so well. Oh well.

Nice birthday present it was, whenever it was opened.

Thank you. 8-)

I think I tried to blot that particular adventure out of my mind...

I never blot anything containing Trevor Cooper from my mind. Which reminds me, now that I have Star Cops DVDs and the capacity to screencap, I must get a non-fuzzy shot of Devis.

Incidentally, British parliamentary terms are up to five years (the prime minister can call an election whenever she or he likes inside that time, and has to if she/he loses a vote of confidence). In practice, they often do it after four, because things might deteriorate/it gives an illusion of control/waiting the full five years may suggest a fear of losing, but if Harriet Jones is presiding over a Golden Age I suppose she might keep going because there's no reason not to.

Oh, and there was one line that read very oddly - "Manchester lost by 4" - if the black and white ball was a football I'd expect that to be "United [or City] lost 4-0/5-1 [or are 4 down]." It's very unusual to refer to either club as "Manchester" (except perhaps when they're playing eg Sheffield United/Leicester City); Manchester United, Man United, Man U and United are all common, plus the City equivalents (not sure anyone would say Man C though). I've never heard anyone say "lost by X" of a football match, either. The Immortals seemed well up on the subject, the other week, though.

Ah well, that's what I get for not having someone brit-pick the story.

I keep muttering "this could all be done so much better, and kerravonsen did it much better."

(big smile) Thank you.

One thing that at least RTD has been consistent in is the Dalek attitude "It is better to die a Dalek than live as something else", which was certainly something that informed Daisy's character.

I was delighted by the way you, and Rose, and ultimately Daisy, managed to make such good use of your resources.

It was so much fun to come up with existing resources that could be used!

Now we've had Torchwood, there's a certain irony in Mickey sitting in Cardiff asking whether that Jack guy will be turning up "anywhere around here", but I suppose he wouldn't if she didn't rescue him.

Mind you, Torchwood was only a twinkle in RTD's eye when I wrote this. And, actually, I don't think Torchwood would necessarily exist in this universe (since Ten and Giggly!Rose wouldn't have gone back and annoyed Queen Victoria) and even if it did, Jack probably wouldn't be working there.

I like Mickey suggesting Rose gets back to her A-levels, reminding her of the teleport and generally keeping her going.

(hugs Mickey)

It was sadly typical of Rose to abandon him at that point; since he probably had the resources to sabotage the plan (having contacted van Statten already) I presume he was finally too loyal to doubt her.

You know, it never occurred to me that Mickey could or would sabotage the plan by contacting van Statten. But what could he say? He couldn't warn him against Rose, because that would mess up the events of "Dalek". He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Hmmmm.

it's not just the Doctor she has to save, but her own race from what he did to the Time Lords

I admit that I loved it when that occurred to me.

I'm here so late. ):

BUT! This fic was insane in a good way. You tied everything together so well, I loved Daisy.

Thank you!

And it's not as if there's a time limit on reading fic... 8-)