A/N: This is third in the series of Doctor Who/Beatles stories. The first two in the series are Turn Me On, Dead Man and Helter Skelter.
Chapter One
Paul stood in his bedroom in his TARDIS. He was preparing to go on the latest expedition to find a legendary place called Pepperland where the first of the modern humans were born. The Doctor informed them that they were going back approximately 20,000 years to the last ice age and that he would help insulate them against the freezing temperatures but they were to dress warmly anyway. He had thrown a black jumper on over his t-shirt and put on heavy black woolen socks in addition to the blue jeans and his Cuban heel boots he normally wore. He was standing by the bureau, debating whether or not to take his mobile with him. He had already put his IPod on the bureau, fearful something might happen to it but he was wondering if he needed to take his phone just in case something should happen.
"If something does happen to us, I can't ring anyone for help," Paul muttered while he stared at the mobile in his hand. "I don't want it smashed so I think I will leave it behind."
He laid it down beside the IPod before he went into the bathroom and used the toilet and checked to make sure his hairpiece was on straight. He stared at himself in the mirror and smiled when he noticed how healthy he looked. The rigors of being a Beatle and touring had taken their toll on his health. He had recently developed a case of irritable bowel syndrome which forced him to take steroids to combat it. The steroids had made his face look puffy but thanks to the Doctor's medicine, his face was back to it's normal round shape. As he examined himself in the mirror, he noticed Jane come up behind him and he grinned as she slipped her arms around him and laid her head on his back.
"Being vain again?" she teased.
"Always. I'm a Beatle, damn it! I'm God's gift to humanity," Paul teased back. "How dare you imply I'm less than a god?"
Jane chuckled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She was wearing a bright green sweater that Paul thought went great with her long red hair. She wore heavy blue jeans and black socks.
"So…" Jane said, coming up beside him, "if you're a god, I s'pose I'm your goddess then?"
"That you are, my lovely," he replied before giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Actually, you were a goddess before you became Mrs. McCartney but I figured you knew that already."
Jane laughed while Paul made a big show of adjusting the hairpiece on his head.
"Damn, I miss the whole military man look. It was sexy."
"Sorry, dear, I'm a lover, not a fighter," Paul said, turning to her and wagging his eyebrows.
"I figured that out during our two day honeymoon," she said.
She laughed when Paul leered at her and gave him a tender kiss on the lips. Paul took her hand and they walked out of their bedroom and headed towards the console room. When they reached it, the Doctor was applying a clear salve to Bill's face. They both stopped and stared at him, Rory and Amy. All three of them were bundled up in heavy coats with a fur lined parka that made them look like Eskimos. They all wore heavy trousers that looked like thick leather and on their feet were moccasin-like footwear, also made out of leather. Paul could tell that both Amy and Rory had the salve on their faces because their skin was slightly shiny.
"So this is what we're wearing when we go outdoors?" Paul asked the Doctor as he gestured to Bill's outfit.
"Yes. We're going to approximately the year 22,000 B.C. And at this time the Ice Age was still going on and even in the warmer months, there was heaps of snow and ice and the temperatures were very frigid. In addition to what Bill's wearing, we're going to be wearing special fur lined mittens and snowshoes that are smaller and more streamlined than the ones you've probably seen. The snowshoes I have will provide us with more maneuverability and we'll need it out there since there will be deep snow and large snowdrifts. Hopefully the gate to Pepperland isn't that far from where we land but if it is, we need to be careful and watch out for Neanderthals. They were nearly extinct by 22,000 B.C. but there are still small bands of hunters and I'm sure they won't be friendly if they encounter us. Especially since by this time, Homo sapiens, your species were out and in direct competition with them for hunting and territorial space."
"I thought you said that in the archives the humans lived in Pepperland until the invasion," Bill said.
"I'm sure the majority did but there are always those few intrepid humans who will explore no matter what time period it is. Modern man had been around for a long time by 22,000 B.C. I'm sure by then some humans had ventured out onto Earth and made a living off the land."
"And that's why the Neanderthals went extinct?" Paul said. "Because of us?"
"Partly. Party because at this time the Ice Age was coming to an end and the Neanderthal's bodies were built for snow and cold weather. That's why they never ventured further than Europe or eastern and central Asia. Modern man made it all the way down into Africa which is why you're here and they aren't."
"And supposedly these good aliens experimented on these Neanderthals?" Jane asked.
"According to the archives, yes. They did it with good intentions. They wanted to improve humans and advance them since Neanderthal's were a bit brutish. They were smarter than people give them credit for, have to be smart to survive and thrive in ice and snow year after year, but their brains weren't wired for anything other than survival. There was no imagination or creative thinking and that's what the Andrakians gave you when they combined their genes with yours. They made you lot smarter and gave you better bodies so you could survive in all sorts of environments. It's because of them that you're alive at all."
"And it's because of them that the Diablons found us more attractive as slaves?" Paul said while the Doctor finished applying the salve to Bill's face.
"It's possible," the Doctor said, coming over to him. "It's much easier to control someone if they have a bit of intelligence so yes, the Andrakians experiments could have brought the Diablons to Earth. This salve is designed to protect your face from frostbite. It'll harden and feel a bit like a mask but it'll keep the wind and snow from freezing your face. You and Jane are the last ones. I have your winter gear as well and I'll give it to you after I'm done with this."
While he applied the salve, Martha entered the room and walked over to his master. Paul smiled and petted her while he stood patiently and let the Doctor rub the clear salve on his face.
"There's one thing I don't understand though," Amy said while the Doctor worked.
The Doctor glanced at her.
"And that one thing is…" he said.
"If the Yellow Submarine film is based on the Diablon's history, how come the Beatles are in it and on top of that, they defeat the Blue Meanies who you said might represent them. I can understand if John, George and Ringo were with us and we all stopped them and they put that in the film, but only Paul is here, is history changing again?"
"Not necessarily," the Doctor said, spreading the salve across Paul's forehead. "The Diablons may have wanted the Beatles to do some sort of project and decided on an animated film. The decided the plot would come from their personal history but with the Beatles taking part in the events. And as much as the Diablons hated the Beatles, it wouldn't do for them to release a film where the Beatles end up being captured and enslaved or die in the end, so that's why you lot win."
"So it was basically an inside joke to the Diablons," Rory said.
"I think so, yes. I think a lot of what they forced Bill and the Beatles to do were inside jokes to them," the Doctor replied as he finished with Paul. "Okay, you're finished. Jane?"
Paul stepped back and let Jane come forward. Martha followed him and he stroked her fur while she sat down beside him and panted.
"Apart from us though," Paul said while the Doctor applied the salve to Jane's face, "I wonder how much of that film is true. Besides Pepperland and the Diablon being the Meanies. I wonder if that little guy…Jeremy, I think his name was, is real or the blokes who threw the apples or even the yellow submarine."
"Not sure, but we'll find out when we find the gateway," the Doctor said.
"Did you know about this Pepperland?" Amy asked. "Your people hunted the Diablons, did they know about this hidden world on Earth?"
"There were rumors of it once Earth was known and my people began to study the planet and it's people," the Doctor said, glancing at her. "You see, Neanderthals aren't part of your evolutionary chain. They're more like an offshoot of your species that didn't work. Neanderthals share many genetic traits with homo sapiens but there are also huge differences and it was theorized that the difference came from gene splicing with alien DNA. The alien species responsible for your advanced evolution wasn't known although there were several possibilities and the Andrakians were among the candidates my people selected. So it makes sense that they were the ones responsible for your growth. But during the Ice Age, two types of humans actually shared the planet together until the Neanderthals died out. That's the only time in your planet's history that that's happened. Since then homo sapiens have been the dominant species."
"Must have been a shock for the Neanderthals to run into modern man then," Paul said.
"Oh I wouldn't doubt it, especially since you look nothing like them. They were built for cold weather; they were shorter and stockier with long arms that reached almost to their knees. They had a more prominent brow ridge and they were bow legged. Seeing someone like you must have been like seeing an alien."
"But these…Andrakians," Bill said. "You said they were benevolent but they were taking humans and changing their DNA. For what purpose? Were they trying to do what the Diablons were doing and create slaves?"
"No, no. The Andrakians are benevolent and peaceful. Granted the method might have been objectionable but their intent was to help you evolve to a more intelligent form so you could eventually take your place among the other alien races and become all that you were meant to be. They weren't the only ones, there were others who came and lived among you. One example is the Andromidans who founded Atlantis and Lemuria and traded and lived peacefully with man. Once their civilizations were destroyed through natural disasters, they set sail and landed at various places around the globe and they were the ones who helped humans build the pyramids, Stonehenge, the statues on Easter Island. Not all alien races are evil. There are some who would like to see the Earth become a peaceful, enlightened society so they stop here and help out on occasion. There aren't very many who do because like I said, most species steer clear of Earth but there are those who, like me, are fond of you lot and want to see you grow and evolve. That's why I believe they created Pepperland so that their creations and their progeny could have a safe place to live and flourish."
"And they describe it as an unearthly paradise," Paul said. "So really, we're searching for the actual Garden of Eden then."
"I think so," the Doctor replied as he finished with Jane. "The fall of man could have referred to the Diablons invading and the survivors being forced out into the harsh environment of Earth and it was there that they became fruitful and multiplied. But the Diablons didn't leave after that, they simply colonized the planet along with the humans and started to build their civilization alongside them. But yes, my friends, you are about to go on a quest for Eden."
"Cool," Amy said.
"Well, don't let Piss Off, Pond get around the snake then, otherwise she'll damn us all."
"Shut up, Paul," Amy said while everyone giggled.
Paul turned his head to her and stuck his tongue out. Amy did the same.
"Yup, you can see the maturity level in those two," Rory said to Bill.
Paul walked over to Rory and sniffed him.
"Ugh! You stinky," he said in a goofy voice. "I think it's your BOdorant . Don't you agree, older brother?"
"Yes, definitely his BOdorant ," Bill said while Paul snickered and patted his shoulder.
"Ha ha, very funny," Rory said dryly.
"Thank you; I pride myself on my humor. I have oodles and oodles of wit and whimsy, ask the other Beatles. "
"Hey, Mister Wit and Whimsy, get your moped crashing arse over here and get your fur coat on!" Amy called to him.
"Bill…" Paul said, putting his arm around his shoulders, "I'm your mentor and now I'm gonna teach you how to throttle a woman and make it look like she just tripped and fell. Come, Brother, let's beat the snot outta Pond!"
The Doctor laughed when he and Bill took off after Amy while Martha followed barking wildly. Jane shook her head and looked at the Doctor.
"Unlike my husband, I'm ready to go, where's the winter gear?" she said as Paul and Bill grabbed Amy and tickled her without mercy.