We're sent into a flashback. The planet Gallifrey. The time is unknown exactly, but it is before the Time War between Gallifrey and Skaro.
Inside the Citadel of the Time Lords, Rassilon himself was standing before the main window of the briefing room. He held his staff naturally and was quite young at this point. As the Huntress mentioned as she spoke this tale, mid-life crisis age.
Rassilon turns as he hears the two large doors slowly open behind him and the clicking of a woman's heels on the floor. It's the Huntress entering the room.
She is her old self with her long red hair tied back into a low bun and wearing a basic red and gold day gown. She has two decorated golden and red sticks nestled in her bun with scarlet tassels hanging from the ends. Her opal eyes were clearer than ever and her age isn't that much different to look at, but she was certainly younger.
'You sent for me, Lord Rassilon?' she inquired plainly. It was clear that she didn't want to be where she was, but she never let her discomfort be shown visibly. Back then, she considered her poker face her greatest asset.
Rassilon turned and gave her a slight grin which could only be described as devious. He looked at her from top to bottom which added to her inner disgust.
'Do you know why I've sent for you madam?' he asks with an empowered yet partially demanding tone. He slowly slides his way over to the right side of the room, keeping sharp eye contact with her. The Huntress moves her head in the same fashion, but her body remains as still as a stone statue.
'I can assure you that I don't. I would prefer to make this meeting quick and professional if you don't mind. Quick and painless, as it were.'
Rassilon stopped dead in his tracks and his smile faded away to a straight, emotionless state. This then grew into something stern and commanding, even though the Huntress never backed down from her current position.
'Bold words for a common citizen. Almost sounds like one of high stature, but we both know that it's not the case now, don't we?'
Though her head and body didn't move, her eyes closed with one sharp flick. Even though her emotion didn't visibly change, Rassilon could tell that she was struck by regret. A man in his position enjoyed the power he wielded, though it was currently limited.
The light of the twin suns started beaming into the room, illuminating the whole room in a warm misty light. It looked like then glistened from the golden clothing they both wore. It represented her strength and beauty whilst it also represented his fury and power.
'You have a certain spark, a spirit, which no other person has ever demonstrated. Your skills of mind, speed and strength are impressive, especially for a woman. I could use a woman like that.'
Huntress' eyebrows raised. She did not like the direction this conversation was going in. She knew right from the start that something was wrong upon receiving the summons. She had made it a life duty to stay as far away from people like Rassilon as possible. However, recent events which she'd give anything to forget betrayed her, leading her here.
'I'm sure you could, but I am also sure that you know my answer to such a proposal. Common citizen is more my style when it comes to home, sir.'
Such simple words, yet somehow they enabled something within Rassilon. In a flash, he appeared directly before her and grabbed her arm. His grip was tight and the Huntress could feel the circulation being cut off by the pressure. As she felt the pain, she remembered that he was wearing his gauntlet. Technology so powerful it could removed objects and individuals from history if he wished it so. One wrong move and she could be lost forever.
She made it her mission to not wince or show her pain. Game face all the way. On Rassilon's face however, wickedness and evil were becoming more clear than ever.
'I know your secrets, my dear. If they were to ever be revealed, you wouldn't live a day. Every single species would rally to your demise. Even Skaro would join us in your death sentence and that is certainly saying something.'
With the guilt and rising burden growing bigger and bigger within her, the Huntress' emotionless expression started to crack. Fear was breaking through and she started to fear for her own arm. It was already growing purple. The strength of Rassilon's gauntlet was not something to underestimate.
'What do you want? Just say it!' she muttered with breaking words. Her held arm and torso started shaking.
Rassilon released her arm and grabbed her by her dresses golden collar, pulling her face to his shoulder and his mouth to her ear. She winced and grabbed her arm whilst this movement took place, her eyes widened and her balance grew unstable.
'The Eye of Ferila.'
In those few words, the Huntress' world had fallen apart. She was struck. She tried forcing herself backwards in order to run but to no avail. His grip was much too strong. She was only choking herself with her own collar. Tears formed. He smiled and started dragging her out of the room.
She never shouted and she never resisted from that point onwards. Within her eyes, it was like a hunter's prey being dragged away to death. Her eyes were dead.
* * *
Inside that dull grey room, the Huntress' tale was taking a toll on her. One small tear rolled down the side of her cheek and she looked down at the floor. She could imagine it, see her face staring back at her as she was being dragged to a place of never-ending pain and suffering. She couldn't help but stop talking.
Will, Gray and Kate were all sat forward in wonder and anticipation, wanting to hear more.
Huntress was about to speak again when her mouth gave no more words. She looked at Kate dead in the eyes and she could tell that she gave Kate the message she wanted her to notice.
Don't ask me to say more. This kills me more than anything. You already know or at least know enough. If you know me, you know where the story goes from there. Spare them for now. Give me one secret for the road. I've gave more than enough.
Kate straightened up and glanced over at Will and then Gray. Both were like kids waiting to hear the rest of a story. With her experience, she knew that she wasn't getting any more out of the Huntress anyway. As far as she was concerned, the Huntress was not going to leave her sights anyway.
'Shall I finish. The quick version?' Kate added, breaking the silence which started growing longer and longer.
The Huntress simply nodded and relaxed a bit, stretching her arms out behind her back. 'Quick version. Details aren't important. Just got carried away there. Some bad memories just don't leave you, I guess.'
'Alright. By what you said, this Rassilon did something to change you into the person we were warned about. The Doctor himself informed us to be cautious if you ever turned up on earth for any reason whatsoever. That even though you were a friend, the person he turned you into was considered to be one of the most deadly and dangerous things in the universe.'
The Huntress nodded along with every word Kate said. No complaints or objections. The words "deadly and dangerous" had sparked anger and scepticism within both Will and Gray, yet neither one of them could believe it. Not yet at least.
Kate stood from her seat and walked up close to the Huntress. She knelt down and made sure that she was face to face with her.
'You know what else he said? To never harm her in any way if she can recall even the slightest glimpse of her past. It means she can be trusted again.'
Huntress' eyes focused on Kate. Kate noticed that some light came back into those green eyes as she spoke. A fighting spirit and hope which part of her was glad to see.
Kate reached behind the Huntress and unlocked her handcuffs. Huntress massaged her wrists but never made a move to stand. She just observed this very strange human woman.
It seems he was right. Humans really are wonderful and unpredictable. Fascinating indeed.
'So that's it? I'm free to save earth but be watched by this UNIT the whole time? I'm not that daft you know. This head catches on just as quick as the last one.'
Kate raised an eyebrow as Huntress spoke. She never flinched when the Huntress gently took the handcuff keys from her hand and freed Will and Gray hands from the grasp of their cuffs.
Gray sighed heavily and started doing some crazy stretches. Meanwhile, Will just rubbed his wrists and watched both Kate and the Huntress carefully. He made sure that he missed nothing of their conversation. It was one of the best ways to learn certain things about people. These were two people he couldn't ignore right now.
'UNIT will be at your service and will be involved in the investigation of the Thames. Being new to earth, you have to be broken into earths way of doing things.'
Huntress' eyes squinted as she started to think. Clearly, something was out of place. 'Broken in? Like your horses? Is that really normal, because I personally don't see appeal in things humans call "kinky" in any form.'
Kate was caught off-guard. She never would have guessed that such a statement would be the Huntress' response. Will was shocked too while Gray hid a snigger.
'Um no, I mean that we will get you up to date with our planets morals and rules.'
'Oh! Now that makes sense!' she shouts in gleeful realisation. She nudges Will with her shoulder. 'See? I am learning. Kind of.'
Will shakes his head but gives her a smile.
All kidding aside, the Huntress goes back into her designated serious mode. 'Your UNIT needs to stay in the shadows. As soon as you all go in guns blazing, a war breaks out. This is bigger than you think, Kate Stewart. My friends and I can handle this. If we need any aid, I finally have someone on this planet to contact.'
Kate didn't like this. Not a tiny bit. She had remembered for many years that this woman was described as a deadly force and she was now on earth, presenting herself as a woman who couldn't possibly fit the bill.
Her mannerism, her attitude and even her promises. Kate would have sworn that she was related to the Doctor in some more direct way. No, they physically knew each other and that was all there was to it.
'Fine. But I'm going with you. I'm not leaving you alone' Kate announced confidently.
The Huntress nodded instantly with no visible issues present on her face. 'Good. Brilliant. Amazing, even. Can I ask you a quick question?'
Kate turned her head and leaned closer towards the Huntress. Huntress looked around and leaned in to whisper in Kate's ear.
'Can I have a bigger shirt? This blouse is pretty tight on my new breasts. Just saying.'
Kate couldn't help but look down at the lilac blouse pulled tight around her torso. It did look annoying and after a while, painful. Huntress had managed to hide it by keeping her long leather coat around her body whilst sitting in the room.
Kate nodded and started heading towards the door. 'I'll see what I can do.'
* * *
Kate strode along the hallways of the temporary UNIT base. They were actually inside a renovated air hanger in the middle of nowhere. Roughly twenty miles outside of London. Unmarked airfields were always an ideal place for UNIT to set up camp for a certain period of time. However, what no one else knew was that Kate wasn't really representing UNIT at that time.
She was hiding in the shadows from the grasp of the real remains of UNIT, operating with her most trusted yet not well-known people as a small operation unit. It was her duty to look big and act like she used to in order to keep the Huntress under control.
Right now, she couldn't shake the Huntress from her mind. A woman so much like the Doctor but so different from the stories the Doctor had told them.
True, these stories were his experiences and he sternly said that her memory was practically wiped unless the mind-control curse she was doomed with was broken, but it all just seemed like a dream. Another friendly Time Lord come to aid earth after they once again missed something alien related who was planning to attack the planet.
Above all else, Kate still feared for the state of UNIT. Especially since it seemed so far away right now. To her, the real UNIT was dying and she was holding a small chunk off to the side to pick up the pieces once it's gone for good.
She entered a small room full of different types of costumes and casual clothing, left specifically for undercover missions as well as emergency clothing. She fumbled through the rack of shirts until she found one in a size she assumed would fit the Huntress. No points in style but would work for the time being. A sleeveless, white sweater. Unworn and designed for people around the twenties in age.
Kate flung the shirt over her left arm and started making her way back.
Before leaving the room, Kate spotted a pair of black pumps near the door. The stretching kind with a small, wedged heel.
No shoes. She asks for a shirt but forgets to ask for something to put on her feet. Again, a typical Doctor move. Not caring about her feet unless she's running to or from something.
Kate picked the shoes up with her left hand and started making her way back to the others in the waiting room.
Behind her, a figure watched. Straight auburn hair, brown eyes and a white lab coat. She was careful but certainly unfearful. As soon as Kate was far enough away, she started to follow. On her coat was a nametag on the left side of her chest. Weller.