BB-ST-3: End of Souls

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BB-ST-3
End of Souls
Babel: You the Future, Take My Gifts
Previous BB-10 (Story)
Th[sic] Sarkaz wanders across the wilderness of consciousness and soul. It is the final moment of her existence.
Characters
Blank icon.svg
Comms
Backgrounds
RI Command Center
1
Empty Room
2
Rim Billiton Outback
3
Farmlands
4
Summary
Theresa sees everything in the Doctor's memories, and finally completes her farewell to that particular person.

Background-Light.png
Erasing memories. This is something Theresa actually lacks experience in.
Not to mention she now faces a rare kind of mind.
She knows not what she will see, and has no clue if it will be dangerous. But there is no room to retreat.
She has made the final decision of her life.
She walks into the Doctor's memories, and cuts them up into countless fragments of dissipating threads.
Memory fades away in silence.
She walks through a world she has never seen and could never understand.
How did such a glorious civilization meet its end?
How do geniuses as bright as shooting stars struggle for a solution to their ultimate problem, yet find nothing?
Is resistance futile? Is unity a mere fantasy?
Is Terra's future already set in stone? What of her beloved homeland?
What of her loved ones?
She has no answer. She cannot find the answer.
She can only continue meandering in the void of memories gone.
Finally, she sees someone familiar.
<Background 1>
[The sound of party poppers, cheers, and chatter fill the air. Kal'tsit walks up next to the Doctor.]
Kal'tsit Is all their enthusiasm overwhelming you?
Doctor What brings you here, Kal'tsit?
Kal'tsit Should I not be present at this celebration of your latest victory?
Doctor It's been a long time since I last... days like these were rare back then, you know.
Or I should say, I've grown so unaccustomed to it now.
Kal'tsit No matter, you will get used to it again, in time. Babel will be a new beginning.
[Kal'tsit smiles tenderly.]
Kal'tsit Go. We should enjoy this celebration.
Theresa watches Kal'tsit pat the Doctor before gently pushing that very back into the waiting crowd.
Too many are forcing their way through the throng, hands stretched out, fighting each other to be the first to shake the Doctor's hand, or pat the Doctor's shoulder.
Some taller and gutsier ones even try to put their hands right on the Doctor's head for a good kneading.
Doctor ...?
Scout Uh, sorry about that unruly subordinate of mine, Doctor. I wanted to stop him...
But my arm's injured... so I couldn't make it in time.
Doctor It's fine... how's your arm?
Scout Recovery's going pretty well.
Doctor It's a pity you won't get to enjoy many drinks here tonight.
[Ace walks up next to Scout.]
Ace That's alright, Doctor. I'll have a few more pints on this guy's behalf.
We might have gotten ourselves stuck in that encirclement, had you not sprung that surprise attack at the end.
C'mon, let's slam a few glasses to honor the Doctor!
Doctor I'm afraid my alcohol tolerance may disappoint you, Ace.
[Closure runs up next to them.]
Closure Excuuuuse—me,—make—way please... I have to see the protagonist of the day!
So many people in here! This is the first time I feel that the command center is too small... do you want me to widen it later? There's still so many people outside hurrying in here with snacks and drinks.
Logos Doctor, everyone's cheering for the victory you've brought us, but you seem a little... uneasy.
Doctor I thought I was masking it pretty well. *ahem* I'm just a little nervous in crowds.
[Scout stumbles a bit.]
Scout Hey, careful. That's enough pushing. Amiya, you good?
Amiya I'm okay!
Doctor! Come with me, Theresa and I made you a cake!
Look, the oven was so hot I got a blister on my finger.
Doctor Thank you... Oh! Are you okay? Does anyone have some burn cream...?
A gentle cough sounds in the room, and the crowd splits into two.
[The crowd falls silent.]
Theresa sees a woman dressed in white passing by, smiling as she extends a hand to the Doctor with a still healing needle wound.
She is looking at herself.
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The joy fades away, as do the memories and voices.
Theresa erases the memory she is too familiar with, and continues forward.
She sees a record she has never seen before within PRTS.
<Background 2>
[The Doctor steps into an empty room.]
Doctor Invoke imaging capabilities. Enable administrator-level encryption.
Image number (0091_admin)...... Add subject: (This is for you).
Activating recorder... Beginning video record.
<Background glitches>
<Background becomes tinted green with noise as recording activates>
Doctor ......
If I didn't hold on until you woke up, you'll see this video.
I will remain here, in the safest of places until everything settles.
Once I'm done with everything, I'll vanish into silence...
Disappearing before all those who hate me.
......
There is always a voice inside me, reminding me, asking me—"Who am I?"
Our own watcher? Or a traitor to future civilizations?
I can no longer recognize myself—
You'll get an answer after checking all the logs I left behind. But for now at least, I'll no longer hesitate to do what I should do.
...I...
When you wake up, I will have already disappeared in your past, and also unable to appear in our promised future.
That's why I hope...
...Pause recording. Delete all previous content. I... still need a bit more time.
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Theresa ......
She does not pause or sigh, just continues what she ought to do in silence.
Theresa goes deeper into the buried memories.
<Background 3>
<Background tinted red>
[The Doctor is calling emergency services while standing next to a burning vehicle.]
Doctor I need you to contact the closest rescue team! The wrecked transport has a Rim Billiton logo on it, this is your squad...
I hear someone still alive in there!
Comms *bzzt* We got your call, but it'll take some time for us to rush over from the nearest mining plate.
Based on the information you gave us, there's been banditry at your location there before, so we'll also notify armed security to send a dispatch at once.
??? ...Ugh...
Doctor ...Armed security...? But with the way Rim Billiton treats Infected orphans...
Hmph—
[The Doctor ends the call and decides to climb onto the burning transport.]
Reach Out A.png
Doctor Just hold on... I'll get you out of there myself...
??? ...You...
Doctor Please, stay with me... gah... that's a good girl, give me your hand.
Hold tight!
??? But... I'm so... tired...
Doctor What's your name—
??? ...I—
Name...?
Reach Out B.png
??? Mum... calls me... Amiya...
Doctor Amiya, just hold on tight!
Amiya I... I'm holding—
Doctor I won't let go—
<Background fades to white>
The memory shatters.
This is Theresa's destination, the terminus of the Doctor's memory—
"Theresa..."
Theresa ......
This is impossible. Every memory should have been...
"Theresa."
She follows the voice to a void, and it speaks once more from behind the nothingness.
Theresa Where am I—
<Background 4>
[Theresa stands in the middle of some grassy fields.]
??? You're finally here. I've been waiting for you.
Theresa Doctor...?
??? Doctor?
Not many people call me that. They prefer my team codename—"Oracle".
Theresa ...Oracle...
So you're the one Kal'tsit believes in.
Oracle I've let her down terribly. But we had no choice, I'm entangled in an inescapable plot.
I've been watching you from here as you went around nurturing your hopes, as you suffered betrayal—
As if I was looking at my past self.
Theresa ...I'm sorry.
You are only residue of the Doctor's burned away emotions. There's no way for me to preserve your emotions and memories in our current circumstances...
Oracle You've reached your destination, so just do what you have to do.
Thank you for trusting me.
Theresa It may be a little late for this... but I'm glad to meet you.
Oracle I'm glad to meet you too, Theresa.
Oracle walks into the distance of the endless wheat fields, disappearing within the stalks.
A draft of wind tears through the plain with a roar, and the final scene disperses until only the end of a thread is left.
Theresa holds the strand. It quickly loses its luster, and turns into powdery dust.
Theresa It's time to say goodbye...
We'll meet again in the future, won't we...?
Kal'tsit... Amiya...
[Theresa pauses for a long while.]
Theresa ......{nickname}.
<Background fades to white>
Cloudy Skies.png
Theresa lets go of the final strand of thread in her hand, and watches it disperse and fade away like starlight.
She takes a step forward, towards hope...
Towards death.