Forever Night
A Doctor Who Novel by Adam J Hough
Prologue
Altair 17, Year 2842⅓
A harsh, abrasive wind blew thoroughly across the high atmosphere of the cityscape that sprawled across the surface of Altair 17. The titanic clouds of grey nuclear waste that poured from the city's continuously working underground mineral mines hung close to the very bottom of the crevices that formed the low level streets, pouring out from where the vents erupted from the ground, where the gutters presumably ran through the city; carrying waste among other things through to the once grand oceans that had become so thick with murky pollution that filtered from all of the buildings. From above; it was hard to conceive how any life forms could inhabit the planet yet somehow the planets population was recorded at an approximate seven point two trillion people all packed into a small moon like planet that orbited a dying sun; days lasted hours and nights lasted forever. Life on Altair 17 was difficult at the best of times.
Above it all, however, there was a sign of life that was virtually unmistakeable to those who lived for longer than the predicted life expectancy. It was the mark of the Thieves of XII; an elite group of thieves that travelled from world to world taking artefacts that were so precious the governments refused to put them on public display.
As the wind blew; Maxi looked out over the city through his modified green reflective ocular lenses. His khaki scarf he wore tight around his face and neck billowed and flapped as he clung to the flimsy spire of the Ministers Tower that wobbled and flexed as the wind continued to blow. The Ministers Tower was nestled among the core of bulwarks and buildings. He continued to look out over the skyline of Altair 17's greatest city, Methroid, as the sun began to slowly set; burning up the horizon of buildings and hovercrafts that hung in suspended animation as the army of gliding traffic lights changed to allow titanic avian creatures larger than an a aeroplane to fly though the city with ease. The beasts looked out of place here in the most industrial city in the Northern Quadrant of the Zoanthorpe System. Maxi stared through his lenses and admired what this, his home world, had become after all these years of being away; an industrial mainstay of a sector of the galaxy that will only be remembered for one thing; Gears, the mass production of cogs and gears that help to keep the systems of the planet moving under the surface. He eventually got tired of standing and took a seat on the buildings towering roof. Crossing his legs slowly he sat down and enjoyed the view of the setting sun. He went to lift his goggles but daren't not. Being this high up above the ground could mean he lost his sight completely after all, even though it was dying, the sun was still powerful enough to blind a man if he did not wear his goggles but the second the sun set, he would never have to worry. It was nearing the 236th of the 9th March, the beginning of the Forever Night was in sight. In his ear, a small comms relay sat in the hole; allowing for direct transmissions to be picked up. As he sat down for a moment of piece, the communication device crackled into life. He looked down into the abyss as the message played out.
'Maxi, we are ready for you, come to The Museum of Hydrophytes in the Eastern quarter of the city but for the love of Hades be quick about it; Enforcers are on patrol everywhere from the west all the way through to the east, the coordinates have been sent to your goggles, and Maxi, Yevo will be waiting for you when you get there, good luck,' the transmission abruptly ended.
Maxi stood up and brushed off some of the dirt from his trousers that had mustered and clung to his clothes as he'd been sat down on the rooftop 'Well, I guess now is the time,' he confidently muttered under the scarf. He carefully adjusted all of the straps on his boots and jeans, checking to ensure they are secure, eventually working up towards his back pack to which he paid the most attention to. He found the set of three switches and made a mental note of where they were. He jumped down from the ledge where the spire tip was and walked closer towards the edge of the building. He would have thirty three seconds precisely before he would have to deploy the boosters contained inside the pack; long enough to enjoy an amazing free fall through the grey clouds below him. 'Here goes nothing,' Maxi stood on the edge; arms spread out wide and closed his eyes, he felt fear for the last time. He blew at the air in front of him and began his free fall. His body went numb as he plummeted at an extraordinary speed down; getting closer and closer to the ground; a second late and he would die but a second too soon would leave him in plain sight of the Enforcers. His left hand reached round to the pack and slapped the centre button causing an eruption of flames to spew from the pack, activating the engine right on time to send him hurtling forward through the elevated streets of the city.
'Nicely done brother, but it will take a lot more than that to impress us,' his comm link buzzed as he flew back up and through the clouds towards the museum. He looked to his side and noticed another using a similar transport method.
'You're not doing this one alone buddy,' the other flyer said, continuing to look dead ahead as the pair flew parallel but in perfect synchronicity. He gestured to oncoming traffic as Maxi looked ahead and saw an Enforcer hover car almost crash into him almost casting him out of existence. Maxi broke and took a sharp corner, choosing to run over the top of the car. He briefly turned off the engine as he ran over the car and broke one of the windows by kicking it in the process.
'Long live the Night Stalkers!' he shouted as he leapt off of the other side of the hovercraft. The occupants sat stunned as they watched him activate the engine once more and shoot off towards the designated building. He saw the other flyer waiting for him; hovering in the air in a controlled motion. 'Get your ass in gear Maxi! Yevo will kill us if we are late!' he shouted through the comm link in Maxi's ear. 'Yeah I am on it,' he replied, launching past the other flyer, flipping him off. 'Dammit Maxi,' he cursed as he looked behind him to see the last bright embers of the dying sun fade out. This was the last time starlight would ever perforate the planets cloud cover.
Light had faded and the dreaded Forever Night had set in as the city began to light up; from homes to manufactories the city became an almost Christmas tree of dazzling and assorted lights that punctured even the thickest clouds. From down below there was a roar of people running out into the inhospitable streets armed with torches to celebrate the coming of the Forever Night however high above it all, there was something darker afoot.
'Maxi, pay attention, you hear me?' Yevo shouted at Maxi as he stood in the dimly lit room in the Hydrophyte Museum. 'We go in and get the phial and then we run outta there like there is no tomorrow,' Yevo looked through his blackened lenses at Maxi and the other flyer that had followed Maxi to the building.
'By the weather outside there is not technical tomorrow for a while now,' the other flyer muttered from under his mask. Yevo lifted his goggles and glared with two beady specks of black that were his eyes at the unknown flyer.
'I don't recognise you much buddy, you new?' Yevo asked walking closer and closer towards the flyer. Maxi saw Yevo pull out his small knife he held in his side pocket. 'Well?' the man remained hidden behind the mask, his hands darted around his body until he grabbed a small black wallet type object from his pocket and showed it to Yevo.
'Psychic paper, nice touch buddy but, you're among thieves here, we use that trick all the time,' Yevo laughed as Maxi moved towards him 'who are you really?'
Maxi kicked the back of the man's knee and pulled off the flyer mask he wore to reveal a worn face with thick locks of brown hair crowning it; a chiselled jaw and bright teeth greeted the two thieves.
'Ah Doctor, we've been expecting you for quite some time,' Yevo smiled as he pointed the knife at his throat 'Welcome to the Forever Night.'