PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
If he'd had the inclination to be smug, he would have been brimming with pride that so many people had elected to spend their hard earned money just to visit his collection. But smugness was not a trait he welcomed, even if those around him believed otherwise. It suited him that they thought him to be someone he wasn't – which, in a way was true.
Nor was he given to exclamations of surprise. So when he entered his office to find an eight foot high Jade Pagoda standing in a corner, he hardly batted an eyelid. Instead, and without breaking stride, he continued the walk to his desk and sat down. After a few moments of prioritising business for that morning, he finally acknowledged the man seated in the chair opposite. "Well, Doctor. How good it is to see you again."
The Doctor smiled. "Keeping well, Brax?"
"Oh, I can't complain." He returned the smile. "I keep busy here, as well you know. We have the odd bit of double dealing to sort out every so often, but by and large things are quiet."
The Doctor removed his Panama hat, brushing some imaginary speck of dirt from the brim. "So you don't miss life . . . out there?"
"Doctor, as you are no doubt aware," Braxiatel answered, "I came here to get away from the 'old' life, and I haven't regretted it for one minute."
"No, I mean . . . didn't you ever want to travel the universe?"
"What, rattle around in an old Type 40 like you did?" Braxiatel thought for a moment. "I can't deny I was envious of you, but at the time I didn't have the desire nor the inclination."
"And now?"
"Well, I'll admit it does have its attractions." He regarded the Doctor with curiosity. "So, why are you here? It's not that I don't welcome visitors – on the contrary, I encourage it. But . . ."
"I need a favour," the Doctor announced.
"A favour. Just like that?"
"No, not just like that!" The Doctor hated it when these word games were played against him, if only because Brax always won. "I believe you will soon have a staff vacancy that needs filling – in the not too distant future."
"Go on," Braxiatel prompted.
"I just happen to have the perfect candidate for the job." The Doctor met Brax's gaze. "She'll be just what this place needs."
"Doctor, what are you babbling on about?" Braxiatel rarely let his cool exterior slip, but such a moment was rapidly approaching. "I don't have any vacancies."
The Doctor rose from his chair and crossed to the Pagoda. "I shouldn't really be here," he declared. "This second-generation TARDIS is only a stand-by, for emergencies."
Brax realised something was up. "What's going on, Doctor? Are you playing your manipulator card?"
The Doctor was reluctant to give too much away. "Let's just say I'm planning for the future. You should do the same," he suggested, "which is why I'm putting forward a worthy recommendation for this vacancy."
"A vacancy, which is yet to happen."
"Precisely." The two men understood each other.
Braxiatel visibly relaxed. "Well, it will certainly be given due consideration, Doctor."
"That's all I ask." The Doctor smiled, but Braxiatel could see something beyond that smile. Something that chilled him to the bone.
Then the Doctor stepped forward, grasping his hand in a warm handshake. "Well, it's been good to see you again, Brax, but it's time I wasn't here." He turned away toward the Pagoda.
"Wait a moment." Braxiatel called after him. "You haven't even given me a name for this candidate of yours."
The Doctor was halfway through the open door before he answered. "It's a surprise, and I know how you like surprises. Just rely on your gut instinct – it's served you well enough before." Then the door was closed behind him as the sound of dematerialisation briefly filled the room, and then was gone. Of the Pagoda there was no sign.
Braxiatel returned to his desk and began sifting through various files and papers, as though nothing had happened. He paused briefly, and looked out of the window to see a clear blue sky. How many more such days like this were left to come? He had no way of knowing, but was aware that things were about to change.
It was time to make plans. There was much to do - and if the Doctor was right, there would soon be a very important vacancy to fill.
If he'd had the inclination to be smug, he would have been brimming with pride that so many people had elected to spend their hard earned money just to visit his collection. But smugness was not a trait he welcomed, even if those around him believed otherwise. It suited him that they thought him to be someone he wasn't – which, in a way was true.
Nor was he given to exclamations of surprise. So when he entered his office to find an eight foot high Jade Pagoda standing in a corner, he hardly batted an eyelid. Instead, and without breaking stride, he continued the walk to his desk and sat down. After a few moments of prioritising business for that morning, he finally acknowledged the man seated in the chair opposite. "Well, Doctor. How good it is to see you again."
The Doctor smiled. "Keeping well, Brax?"
"Oh, I can't complain." He returned the smile. "I keep busy here, as well you know. We have the odd bit of double dealing to sort out every so often, but by and large things are quiet."
The Doctor removed his Panama hat, brushing some imaginary speck of dirt from the brim. "So you don't miss life . . . out there?"
"Doctor, as you are no doubt aware," Braxiatel answered, "I came here to get away from the 'old' life, and I haven't regretted it for one minute."
"No, I mean . . . didn't you ever want to travel the universe?"
"What, rattle around in an old Type 40 like you did?" Braxiatel thought for a moment. "I can't deny I was envious of you, but at the time I didn't have the desire nor the inclination."
"And now?"
"Well, I'll admit it does have its attractions." He regarded the Doctor with curiosity. "So, why are you here? It's not that I don't welcome visitors – on the contrary, I encourage it. But . . ."
"I need a favour," the Doctor announced.
"A favour. Just like that?"
"No, not just like that!" The Doctor hated it when these word games were played against him, if only because Brax always won. "I believe you will soon have a staff vacancy that needs filling – in the not too distant future."
"Go on," Braxiatel prompted.
"I just happen to have the perfect candidate for the job." The Doctor met Brax's gaze. "She'll be just what this place needs."
"Doctor, what are you babbling on about?" Braxiatel rarely let his cool exterior slip, but such a moment was rapidly approaching. "I don't have any vacancies."
The Doctor rose from his chair and crossed to the Pagoda. "I shouldn't really be here," he declared. "This second-generation TARDIS is only a stand-by, for emergencies."
Brax realised something was up. "What's going on, Doctor? Are you playing your manipulator card?"
The Doctor was reluctant to give too much away. "Let's just say I'm planning for the future. You should do the same," he suggested, "which is why I'm putting forward a worthy recommendation for this vacancy."
"A vacancy, which is yet to happen."
"Precisely." The two men understood each other.
Braxiatel visibly relaxed. "Well, it will certainly be given due consideration, Doctor."
"That's all I ask." The Doctor smiled, but Braxiatel could see something beyond that smile. Something that chilled him to the bone.
Then the Doctor stepped forward, grasping his hand in a warm handshake. "Well, it's been good to see you again, Brax, but it's time I wasn't here." He turned away toward the Pagoda.
"Wait a moment." Braxiatel called after him. "You haven't even given me a name for this candidate of yours."
The Doctor was halfway through the open door before he answered. "It's a surprise, and I know how you like surprises. Just rely on your gut instinct – it's served you well enough before." Then the door was closed behind him as the sound of dematerialisation briefly filled the room, and then was gone. Of the Pagoda there was no sign.
Braxiatel returned to his desk and began sifting through various files and papers, as though nothing had happened. He paused briefly, and looked out of the window to see a clear blue sky. How many more such days like this were left to come? He had no way of knowing, but was aware that things were about to change.
It was time to make plans. There was much to do - and if the Doctor was right, there would soon be a very important vacancy to fill.