Hello there everyone. My name is Kiwi and I had a dream that kind of sparked this whole idea for a small story. I'm a little nervous because this is such a huge category and my writing is sometimes not up to par, but I'm hoping that at least some people out there enjoy it. I don't own Jenny, she is a character in the Doctor Who universe.
Prologue
My father is a great man. Some might say "one of a kind", but I know better than that. He's just the last of his kind. Well, until I came along that is. He never expected that one day he would have a daughter, but here I am. His friend once told me that we were very much alike, my father and I. He didn't see it that way until he lost me. I can remember the burning in my chest as the bullet from the General's gun pierced my flesh. The sadness in my father's eyes as I watched with wavering vision and took my final breath. Of course, it wasn't my final breath. Since I was created from a sample of my father's DNA, I gained at least one special ability. An ability that helps me to evade death and it sure comes in handy. As much as I try, I'm not quite what you would call "responsible" or "careful" when it comes to handling my life now. Such are the lives of a Time Lady.
The corridor was narrow and I pushed my companion ahead of me, just to make sure that she was farther out of the line of fire than I was. Buzzing of failing electronics filled the air accompanied by the unmistakable sound of laser fire. "Keep moving," I urged my friend, placing a strong hand on her back and giving a small push. She glanced back at me with wary eyes, but my expression stayed stern. "Don't try to reason with a soldier," I argued, returning both hands to the large gun I was currently brandishing. "Move to the next room and don't stop. I'll always be right behind you."
"What if you aren't though, Jenny?" my friend cried, her shrill voice only adding to the cacophony of sounds all around us. "You're strong and really clever, but what makes you think that you can get us out of this mess?"
A bright green light exploded out of nowhere and I pushed my companion to the ground, feeling her quivering body underneath mine. "I've got everything under control, Margaret. I was born to be a soldier and I'm not joshing with you." Strands of my light blonde hair were sticking to the sides of my face with perspiration. "Move now while you still have a chance. I will be right behind you."
Margaret nodded and scrambled to her feet, jumping over a live wire that was sending sparks dancing in all directions. The familiar sound of a latch door closing sounded soon after as I thrust my fist into a nearby electrical circuit and tugged on the colored cords woven throughout it. Banging and protesting was all I could hear from my friend. So I had been a tad dishonest with Margaret, but could she have blamed me? I was the one who decided it would have been quite the adventure to sneak on board a Skarlaxian trading ship that was headed past a black hole. How often did anyone get to see a black hole so up close? I bet my father would have thought it looked brilliant.
Slowly, I turned my head to see Margaret's tear streaked face yelling at my from behind her sanctuary as I just cocked my gun. "You'll thank me for this later," I promised, giving the sobbing brunette a dignified salute. Placing the back of the large rifle on my right shoulder, I took a knee and prepared to fire. Two large, brown beasts rounded the corner, their sagging skin flopping as they ran. Closing my right eye, I aimed to shoot just as they did. A surge of electricity entered my body, causing me to gasp for air as everything went dark.
I've been told I'm a lot like my father. At least, I think I remember someone telling me that once. Now, I can't recall much about him, but he must have been clever. Well, I could imagine he would have been that way. I've died a lot, but I never seem to stay dead. Almost everyone I've met says that it's a sort of miracle and I'm starting to believe it. I mean, I'm not what you would call "responsible" or "careful" so lucky for me that I never seem to die. Sometimes I think I'm a Cat Lady.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself, thief?"
The metal of the handcuffs around my wrists was unyielding and every time I attempted to wiggle my wrists free, small jolts of heightened electricity ran up my nerves and down my spine, causing the slightest of temporary paralysis. As soon as I could muster up the capability and strength to move once more, I narrowed my grey eyes. "I needed fuel for my ship," I replied harshly, watching as several onlookers gathered on the streets. "How was I supposed to know I had to pay for this keg? It was just sitting along the side of a dumpster in the back alley. Figured it would be free."
A chorus of unnecessary chuckles erupted from the law enforcement around me. "You obviously are not aware of how things work in this city, young miss. Nothing is free, no matter where you find it." The speaking officer crossed the street, circling me once before standing before me. He gave a quick nod and the man who had been sticking close behind me kicked the back of my legs, forcing me to the ground. Both knees shock violently as they came into contact with the filthy asphalt of New New York. Well, if I recall correctly this place was actually New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York, but that's just a technicality. "It has been quite a long time since the bliss virus wiped out most of the population. You could say we do not take anything lightly anymore, especially stealing."
"So then what are you going to do with me?" I challenged, blowing a few strands of blonde hair out of my face. They continued to bother me, blowing around in the disgusting breeze of the now polluted city. I swear, if my father had ever visited this place he would have been appalled by the state of the people and the environment. Hover cars flew everywhere, spewing their noxious fumes all across the city and many diseases had sprung up from the Undercity, causing mass hysteria and panic.
The officer in front of me gave a grave expression. "The punishment for stealing is death," he stated plainly, lowering the visor attached to his alabaster helmet. Before hiding his face I could have sworn I saw the glimmer of a smirk begin to form. I tried to stand up, but the man behind me forced me back down. The frightening sound of a gun being cocked sounded behind me, sending rivers of ice through my body. They could not kill me here, in front of all of these people watching. All around, citizens had been gathering, just rubber-necking as they made their way to and from work. I was quickly becoming the quickest source for entertainment. Cold metal was pressed to the back of my skull and I inhaled sharply.
"Wait, you don't understand!" I pleaded, my eyes darting back and forth quickly. "This isn't going to work! I can't d-" An ear shattering bang exploded down the street as the worst headache I ever had quickly consumed my consciousness.
I've been an orphan for as long as I can remember. Sometimes I gaze up at the universes slowly orbiting their way around one another and wonder what my parents were like. I feel like I would have been more like my mum. Well, she was probably a decent cook and everything I ever tampered with in the kitchen turned to absolute rubbish. There's something weird about me though. I get caught up in situations sometimes and I feel like I'm about to die, but then I just wake up and realize everything was just a terrible dream. Though I feel like there are holes inside of me, where important stuff is missing. Just call me the Paranoid Lady.
The fire was quickly growing, spreading across the ceiling and walls, coming to get us. "Move, Jenny," my friend Alonzo shouted, grabbing my hand and leading me into another room. Smoke was everywhere, stinging my eyes and causing me to cough. "Just a little further, I promise," Alonzo reassured me as he gripped my sweating hand tighter. I could not be sure of where he was taking me. This stupid building had always seemed like a giant maze to me. Every room was exactly the same, but he seemed to know his whereabouts.
Something caught my foot and I tripped, sprawled out on the floor, gagging. I had to admit that the air quality seemed better down by the floor, but I knew we had to keep moving. There had to be some way out of this stupid space station. Red lights began flooding the rooms accompanied by a screeching siren. "That can't be good," I coughed, watching as Alonzo knelt down beside me, helping me to my feet. "Well, wherever we're going, we should hurry up then, eh? Allons-y, Alonzo."
His arm was around my waist, practically dragging me along the hallway. Others sprinted past us in panic, but I was too weak to warn them that the fire was not far behind us. They were heading into the mouth of the beast so to speak. Sparks erupted from a panel as Alonzo kicked in the controls for door lock. With swift work, he managed to get both of us inside the normally restricted area before sealing us off from the rest of the building. "This is a dead end," I informed him, my voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. Every breath that rattled out of my chest was extremely painful. "None of us have ever been back here before, it's not allowed. What made you think that a dead end would be the perfect place to escape a fire in a confined location?"
Alonzo helped me over to a small pod and placed me in the leather lined seat. My vision was beginning to blur as I gave another cough. Small specks of red blood spattered across my friend's tanned face and I gave a small gasp. "You're dying, Jenny," he sighed, fiddling with a harness that he was quickly fixing over my shoulders. "I know about you though, about what you are. You can live if I get you out of here. If you stay in the orphanage then the fire will destroy your body and you will die."
"What are you taking about?" I asked, trying to grab on to his hands. "If I'm dying, then I'm dying. There's nothing you can do about it. We'll just die here together, Al." My friend shook his head sadly, curly hair bouncing around his shoulders. The smoke was beginning to creep its way into the room, leaking in through the small cracks between the door and the floor. "I-I don't understand what you mean by that." Tears were falling down my face, icy cold. "I don't want to die, Al, but I don't want you to die either. If I have to die, there's no one I'd rather be with when it happened then you."
He gave a long, drawn out breath and placed his warm lips on my cold cheek. "That's why it hurts me so much to do this to you, Jen." He pushed a shining red button on the side of the pod, causing a shield to form. That was when it finally hit me. This room was off limits because it was the only exit. I was inside the only escape pod that was left. I wanted to scream, to tell Alonzo to let me out, but my body was failing. The beating of my heart was slowing down and the pain in my lungs was growing steadily. "You have to live for me," Al shouted as the flames started licking at the door.
I was thrust backwards, into the open void that was empty space. Stars twinkled all around me as I watched the only home I had ever known burn like a newly born sun, my best friend along with it. "No," I whispered, feeling the frightening grip of death close in around me. "I don't want to die alone." Then I closed my eyes.
I don't know who I am. Not where I come from. Not where I'm going. Not even a name to call myself by. It's like I was born into this world absolutely empty. Who am I?
Sorry, it's all a bit confusing right now, but it's supposed to be. Hopefully I've piqued your interest enough to want to see this elaborated on just a bit more. Hoping to update very soon. Please R&R because I'd love to hear feedback from readers of a fan base this large. I know I need to improve on my writing technique so hearing your thoughts and opinions means a lot to me. Thank you for reading. :)
