It hurt, but then again it wasn't so bad. She moved her face closer to the semi-full length mirror in the bathroom. The area around her left eye was still tender and it was starting to change color. "Ah well", Ace said to herself, "at least I deserved it this time." She sloughed off her bomber jacket revealing the week old bruises that made up the awkward checker pattern across her shoulders. Lash marks form an extension cord. Those had been awarded for leaving a wet towel on the floor to long (highly unjustifiable in Ace's opinion), but the eye and the myriad of other bruises hidden by her clothes? Those had been graciously given to her when her mother had learned about her recent expulsion from Perivale Senior.
"She sure packs a wallop. Who knew she had such a wicked right hook?" she muttered, begrudgingly. She winced as her breathing aggravated her bruised ribs. Her mother's physical strength was legendary in Ace's eyes mostly because she had been on the receiving end of her wrath since before Ace had reached double digits. She couldn't remember when it started, but the first beating she received that ended in a trip to the hospital had been on her tenth birthday.
The nurses had believed Ace's mother, Audrey, when she told them that her daughter had fallen out of a tree causing the compound fracture in her arm. Well, they believed her the first time. On Ace's third trip to the hospital, this time with a nasty burn on her face, chest and torso, the nurses had started to ask Ace about what actually happened at home. It had been her chance, there were people who cared, and wanted to help, but she had frozen. She had been so afraid of her mother's retribution that she found herself repeating Audrey's story. Why anyone would believe a twelve year old would have jumped face first into a scalding bath was beyond her. The real cause of her burns had been a boiling pot of broth that Audrey had thrown at her daughter when Ace had been cheeky enough to ask for a bowl and spoon.
"DOROTHY GALE MCSHANE!" Audrey's voice thundered from the first floor of their flat causing Ace to jump back from her reflection, "Get your useless ASS down here this minute!" Quickly, Ace grabbed her jacket and shrugged it back on before running full speed down the stairs to where she had been summoned. In the den she found her mother and her most recent 'flat mate' taping their feet with impatience. Around them was a whirlwind of trash bags, and overnight cases that Ace was sure held everything she owned.
"Dorothy, you have been nothing but an embarrassment and a burden since I brought you home. I had such high hopes for you; you were on the fast track! We finally got your grades to the A level and then you have to go and blow up the art room?" "Mum, I am so…." "I don't want to hear it Dorothy, there is no excuse that could repay the damages that you caused, however you can." "What?" Ace asked confused. "There shall be a reckoning this time little girl. You have lived under my protection for far too long. You will find a job that will both pay back the school and pay for your own place. I do not care where you go, or how rough it will be, you will pay the school back for the damage to that art room. There is a cab waiting outside to take you to Jan's, the little diner on Darwin Road. They need a new waitress and since you aren't suited for anything else, well you don't really have a choice, do you. When you leave this house I do not want you coming back, not now, not ever, and forget holidays, as far as we are concerned you are no longer my daughter."
Despite the anger Ace was feeling her eyes began to tear, this was cold. Since her father had left, Ace's mum was the only family she had and now apparently she didn't even have her. The word 'orphan' began to race around in Dorothy's mind, and it was soon joined by other words harshly spoken in the past: orphan, stupid, little, freak, orphan, ugly, fat, useless, orphan, bitch, fool, slut, orphan, tart, fucking cunt, whore, ORPHAN! Ace felt dizzy as she picked up her hastily packed belongings and trod to the cab.
Her mind was in a haze and nothing made sense, nothing. She was careful to keep her trusty rucksack with her when she finally climbed into the vehicle. She slid her hand inside to find her last can of Nitro-9. This was familiar; the cool exterior of the can was her comfort. The metal reminded her that she was not fully helpless. If she had wanted she could have set off her homemade pyrotechnics at anytime. No, she decided, she didn't want her mother dead, but there was something that was nagging her. What was this feeling? Ace couldn't name it. It was hot, strange that an emotion could change the temperature, but it was new. Damn, what was it?
Hate, thought Ace as her mind suddenly cleared; it's hate. I hate my mother. "Audrey Dudman McShane, I will never stop hating you." Ace said in a low voice to no one in particular as the cab drove her to her new life.
Meanwhile in a busy laboratory on the other side of the galaxy a strange little man sat down in dismay clutching his hands in frustration. "That's it then. I'm doing nothing until my memory returns. Nothing until I know what I am about." "Oh, come on, now." said a tall woman standing beside him on the lower step. "No, I will not work in the dark like this."
The Rani was getting frustrated; her plans would disintegrate before her eyes if the Doctor did not get working soon. "But you thrive on challenge." She said hoping to encourage him. "I'm adamant. This could be some diabolical scheme." Damn his perception the Rani thought to herself. "To do what?" The Doctor raised his slightly bushy eyebrows and stared off into space, "That is the question". The Rani nearly rolled her eyes, but she covered the impulse with a nervous giggle. She moved to the table behind the Doctor and released the switch on the secret hiding place. The small blue bottle concealed therein held so much promise. She studied its contents carefully before tipping them into a glass of water. She swished the glass to mix the chemicals before taking it back to the Doctor who was still sitting on the steps resting his head hand in the position of 'The Thinker'.
"You're just overexcited. Here, drink this." She said sweetly. "Hmm? What is it?" he said, still clearly distressed. "Just water." "Oh, you drink it. I don't want it. Don't try to humor me. Leave me alone." He said in a grump. The Rani was getting quite impatient with her former school chum. "You can't loll around. It's simply not like you." "How do you know what I'm like?" he said as he pointed to his new visage. "I've regenerated. I mean, look at me. Look at me."
The Rani strengthened her resolve and smoothed her features to match those of the doctor's companion. "Yes, you've changed outwardly. But I'm sure you must still have the same sweet nature." She batted her eyes at him in an attempt to be placating. "Perhaps this is my new persona. Sulky, bad-tempered. I mean, think how I spoke to you earlier. "Oh God was she tired of his prattling, where were all the good victims, the ones who drank their poison like proper boys and girls.
The Doctor kept passing the glass from hand to hand, sometimes he would come close to drinking but he would always pull the cup away from his lips before he could take a swallow. "But you didn't mean it. I was at fault." she said keeping her face neutral. "Even so, that's probably how I am now. You don't understand regeneration, Mel. It's a lottery, and I've drawn the short plank. Anyway, I need a radiation wave meter and, brilliant as I am, even I can't improvise that."
Ah, at last there was progress in the Doctor's thought process. "What about the Tardis? Won't there be a radiation wave meter there?" she vocally nudged. "The Tardis?" he said immediately recognizing the word through the clouds of amnesia "Do you know where it is?" "Yes, of course." She replied. "Oh, good. I fancy a breath of fresh air. We'll both go." The doctor stood suddenly and marched for the door grabbing his new hat and umbrella on the way out. Flabbergasted the Rani could only stammer a weak "no, wait." as his coat disappeared out the door.
The boarding house was situated halfway between the Thames and central Rapesville. Still, it was better than sleeping in the local cathedral and even that had been better than sleeping on the local park bench. At least here, Ace had her own place. Her landlady, Mrs. Havib was a strict Indian woman who ran a spice shop on the first floor. She sold the usual curries, peppers, cinnamons, and cumin, but Ace had suspicions about what was sold behind the store's beaded curtain. Not that she cared; it was nobody's business what the landlady was up to, least of all hers. Everyone has their vices thought Ace as she dragged herself upstairs to her room.
Her day had been absolute crap, and it all started with that upstart of a manager giving her a tongue lashing for her rumpled uniform. She tried to explain that she couldn't afford an iron and that he should at least be happy that her clothes were clean, but for some reason that had only made things worse. Then they had been slammed. Ace's ears were still echoing the sound of the dreaded delivery telephone when she made it to her door.
"Aw where are my flippin' keys?" she muttered as she dug around in her rucksack for her key ring. "Ace!" she said as she triumphantly pulled it from her bag. She then began the arduous task of unlatching the 12 different locks to her door. She remembered someone once saying that more locks meant lower rent, but she balked at the idea that her rent was cheap. As she attacked the door locks, she went over her work day in her head.
The kitchen had been slow, the dining room had been claustrophobic with all the needy customers, and she had been run ragged driving deliveries all over Perivale on the restaurant's ruddy motor scooter. It had been one of the hottest days on record and to top it all off the damn Moped had broken down twice on route. After her last delivery she had come back to the restaurant to be confronted once again by the manager. "Clothes aren't so clean now are they, Dorothy?" That horrible little git. He seemed to conveniently forget that Ace was the one who had trained his ass in the first place.
Finally, the door opened and Ace nearly fell through it. Her double shift and the three flights of stairs caught up with her in a rush. She crossed the room and collapsed on her bed. "Gordon Bennett! I'm knackered." she said out loud. She was hungry too. She closed her eyes and tried to remember her last true meal. Usually she managed to eat enough off people's discarded dishes to make it through, but the way the boss had been riding her today she hadn't even had that option.
The smell of fresh yellow curry met her nose and caused a tear to fall from Ace's eyes. She turned on her side and felt her hip bone press sharply into the thin mattress. It had become harder to get comfortable lying down recently, she had lost so much weight that her bones stuck out. Ace raised her hand and studied it. It reminded her of the teaching skeletons in her old biology class. She sighed, had she been better off at home? "Scars or skeleton, rubbish choice." She murmured.
Sitting up, she wondered if a bowl of curry was worth what she would have to pay to get it. No, she thought, even I won't go that far. The cost would be a roll about with Mrs. Havib's forty plus year old live-in son. Ace knew that the hunger would eventually pass, but the shame never would if she let that massive blob of a man put his hands (or anything else for that matter) on her. Just the thought of it was enough to nullify the hunger pains.
Ace debated getting up, but felt the strength drain out of her. She had this brilliant idea rolling around in her head for a new experiment and she couldn't wait to try it out. Unfortunately the cost of the materials was a big problem. Half of her paycheck automatically went to her old school to chip away at her debt. Most of the rest went to rent and utilities. Ace counted herself lucky if she had a fiver left over after expenses. The delivery tips helped a little, but too often the customers would conveniently forget that courtesy.
She sighed and pushed herself into a sitting position. She reached over and picked up her rucksack. Inside was a true treasure, a candy bar she had found abandoned on the bus two weeks ago. It was her last stash. She had held onto it for this long, surely she could wait a while longer before eating it. She thought about how her work friends, ok only friends, had playfully scolded her about how skinny she looked. "Ace, baby girl, eat a cheeseburger already, you look like a scarecrow." They would chide. She stuffed the candy back into her rucksack. She couldn't bring herself to tell them that she couldn't afford it. "What are you jealous or something?" she would fire back, keeping the truth hidden behind a wall.
"Aww, brill Ace!" She congratulated herself. She stood from the bed and went to her closet. "If my clothes are looking too baggy, Shreela and Midge and all the rest will worry. So what if I'm a scarecrow, what do you do with scarecrows, duh, stupid, you stuff them!" She grabbed some clothes and started pulling them on one after another. Four layers in she pulled on her uniform and studied herself in her mirror. "Don't do much for the figure does it?" she said to herself. "Ah well, at least I don't look too thin now." She pealed the excess off and went to bed.
The silence in the empty hanger was interrupted by the great wheezing sound of a time ship landing. The TARDIS materialized right on target and it wasn't long before its front door opened. The Doctor tentatively stepped from his ship casting a wary look around the building. A heavily accented voice came over the intercom. "Toll port G seven one five. Please have your credits ready. Toll port G seven one five."
The Doctor's slevette fire-haired companion slipped into step behind him. "Mel, I don't like the look of this one little bit." "Me too. It's spooky." He reached behind him and took her hand as a sign of assurance. "Get ready to run back into the Tardis at the first sign of trouble." "Okay." She said ready for anything. She had traveled with the Doctor long enough to know that it was only a matter of time before someone started causing trouble.
The doctor gestured to an illuminated office and they both moved to approach it. "Halt!" said the intercom. "Who's there?" demanded the doctor. In answer, a figure moved into the offices door and blew a party trumpet.
"Surprise, surprise!" the man shouted in jubilation "Welcome, friends, a thousand welcomes." The doctor smiled "It's a funny way to welcome your friends. We thought you'd been attacked by space pirates. Now about this toll fee…." "Toll fee? Tonight is your lucky night. You are our ten billionth customers." It was hard to believe that many souls had graced the hanger with their presence.
"You mean to say ten billion people have come here?" the questioned echoed in the vacuous terminal. "Exactly" said the toll master with an eccentric smile. "Congratulations, now about this toll fee." "But you've won! You've won the grand prize!" Mel couldn't take the excitement any longer. "What is it?" she asked "I've never won anything before. The toll master burst with enthusiasm, "You have won our fabulous Fifties tour. A week, a whole week, in Disneyland, planet Earth. And this time, they're going back to 1959. The rock and roll years."
Mel was dancing in her shoes "Oh, that's fantastic! Oh, let's go, Doctor." Oh dear oh dear there is just no good way to get out of this, the doctor thought to himself as a sigh escaped his lips. His shoulders drooped a bit in resignation. I guess a holiday wouldn't hurt.
"Hey, Ace, your food is up." "Ah, thanks Shreela." said Ace as she expertly spun in place to let her fellow server pass her. Today had been a rare one, she actually had enough tips saved up now to get her hands on some gelignite. Ace smirked as she collected her table's food.
She thought about the great experiment she was going to do when she finally got home tonight. Head in the clouds, she didn't see Midge coming through the kitchen door. They collided in a storm of dishes and greasy food.
"Bugger all, Dorothy!" shouted the kitchen manager. "Now I have to fucking make it all over again." "I'm sorry Finn, I didn't see him."
Just don't fire me, just don't fire me, she chanted in her head. "So you are blind as well as bent, huh?" "No sir I.." "Get out of my face, go home and maybe if you are lucky I will let you in the back door in the morning." "Yes sir." She said quietly as she headed for the employee locker room.
Midge followed, "Ace, I'm sorry, it was my fault. I couldn't see over the dish tub." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Want I should go tell old wind bag that he's a stupid git?" "No", she sighed "it's ok Midge, really, he'll let me in. I haven't lost this job yet."
Ace collected her jacket from her locker and replaced it with the frilly work apron she hated so much. "Anyway this gives me more time to work on my project." A smile returned slowly to her face. "All right, then, but be careful baby girl, that stuff you mess with is well scary." Ace slammed her locker shut and left the room with a nod of assurance to her friend.
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"Sixteen pounds ten love". The smelly man said as he rocked back and forth in his chair. "What? When I asked you for a price you told me ten pounds!" Ace shouted in dismay.
"Now now no needs to get naffed, them's the breaks, see. I got my boys brining this stuff in through security barriers, detectors, and sniffer dogs, if you want it you have to pay for its…security." Ace turned her back on his foul odor and looked around.
If she had had any other choice she would be getting her contraband explosives from someone, anyone, else. Even standing in the dark house was unnerving with its drafty rooms filled with rubbish and treasures.
"Look, Slird, it took me six months to save up the ten pounds. How am I supposed to get nearly seven more? Could you still sell me the materials but in lesser quantity?"
Mr. Slird rubbed his cheek dislodging soot in the process. "Well now I could see selling you half for the ten pounds, but that is the best I can do for you lass."
Ace wanted to rip the man's smug smirk clear off his face. "Never mind, hold it for me for now, I will be back in a week with the money." "Afraid I can't love, see I have a mind to move shop. The area around here is getting too hot."
That at least had a ring of truth about it. Ace had seen a drastic rise in the number of Bobbies in the area and she had a sinking feeling she was the cause. Her probation was still active and she was sure the police wouldn't want to be far form a little pyromaniac like her. At least she could tell when she was being given the rush. "Fine then you highway robber, give me half, and here," she said as she flung the ten pound note at him, "is your bloody money."
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An hour later a very vexed Ace entered her room and slammed her stuff down on the bed. "Half! Gordon Bennett! That's not even enough for five bottles!" She crossed her arms in a huff. "And that bilge bag had to keep me there late, too. I can't start the process tonight!"
She cleared her bed and plopped down. Her head spun, could nothing go right?
As she laid there she hoped that she had not lied to her co-worker and that she still had a job in the morning. She hoped she could pay the school off soon; six more months should do it. Six more months and she would be able to eat in a real shop again. She hoped that tips would be ok tomorrow.
Her hopes were weak but her wishes on the other hand, well, she wished hard. She wished she could break free from it all. She wished she had never been born. She wished she hadn't burned down that old ruin of a manor house, Gabriel Case. She wished her best friend Manisha was still alive. She wished it had been her house that had been firebombed instead.
Her greatest wish however, was the most farfetched. She wished someone would collect her and whisk her off to new adventures among the stars.
Ace slipped out of her excess layers of clothes and snuggled under her thin covers. She had always loved space, the great vastness holding so many possibilities. The black blue firmament smiled at her through the cracked window comforting Ace as she mused about her escape to the stars.
Her jacket was littered with patches from each of NASA's space missions, evidence of her love for the endless universe. She even had one for the unfortunate Challenger shuttle. The rock she lived on had never spared her a moment's help so why should she stay? Hell it was 1986, ships went into space all the time so why couldn't she. Her eyes drifted closed and she slowly fell asleep.
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Eyes; brown, blue, green, accusing glares and frozen stares all trained on her. No, she thought, not this.
Each new eye added its angry gaze to her innumerable audience. They're all dead. No, it wasn't my fault. I didn't hurt you.
She couldn't move, oh god, she couldn't move. To her left a set of reddened orbs began moving towards her. Manisha! It wasn't my fault. It was the Skinheads! I'm not guilty! I couldn't help it!
They were closer and full of fire. She peered into the flames and saw her death.
'Run', she said in a voice that was not hers, 'run away'. Her body wouldn't respond, she was rooted to her place as her dead friend's eyes loomed ever closer. The claxon of sirens surrounded her filling her with terror.
She couldn't breathe, she looked down and saw herself naked, bruises covered her skin. No air, there was no air and her lungs burned.
'Run', she heard the voice spill from her lips once again, 'run now!'
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Ace shot up in bed. Her sleeping outfit was drenched. She raised a shaking hand to her forehead where it met clammy sweat. This was exasperating.
Ace had had the reoccurring dream since her arrest over two and a half years ago and so far there had been no hope of relief. She had noticed that she would have a break from the dream for a few months and then it would flare up in her sleep again. Each time it was more vibrant and terrifying than the time before. Ace was afraid that one day the dream would take her and she would never wake.
Shaking herself into action, she got up and dressed to go out for a walk. There was no way she was getting back to sleep now, but she still had a few hours to kill before work. She grabbed her prize bomber jacket and headed out into the chill English morning.
Her favorite route took her to the Thames, then it doubled back to wind past Perivale Senior's batting cages and today Ace decided to take her time. The sun was just beginning to rise as she reached London's famous river.
The swirls of yellow and pink in the sky seemed to come from the river itself, born from the early morning fog. The sight warmed Ace, and filled her heart with hope. She stood watching the grey foggy comforter spread over the waters painting an ethereal picture of a world above the clouds.
A sigh escaped her as the last vestiges of her nightmare slowly faded into her subconscious. With a smile Ace turned from the beautiful view and began to start her trek back to her apartment.
As she neared the school batting cages, Ace noticed a group of three hooligans loitering directly in her path. She attempted to avoid them by walking on the other side of the street but to no avail. The three adolescents moved to intercept her leaving her no escape.
"'ello love." Said the one Ace assumed was the leader, "and whot you doing out and about this fine morning." She didn't answer but instead tried to barrel past them.
Wrong move. The Ginger one grabbed her by her jacket and forced her into a painful arm lock. "Now, now, he said in a cracking voice, we don't want hurt you." "Nah, chimed in the third hooligan as he towered over them all, we just wanna have a little fun."
She was trapped. Stupid Ace, she thought to herself, should have thought to bring a weapon. "Let's just see what kind of fish we caught today shall we?" said the raven-haired leader. He grabbed her jacket and forced it off her shoulders.
Her abundant layers of clothing bought her time as the triad painstakingly pealed them away. She frantically surveyed the area. No one else was about so screaming was superfluous, but perhaps there was a makeshift weapon hanging around.
There! Ace thought, a flash of aluminum caught her eye and she realized it was a bat left behind carelessly, thankfully, by a student. It was leaning against the chain link fencing ten meters to her right.
"How many layers you wearing girl?" asked Blackie. In answer, Ace slowly lifted her head to meet his eyes. "About time you found out, yeah?" she asked before lunging forward, catching Blackie's mouth with hers. Gotta make it look good, she mused as she deepened the kiss.
Startled by her response, the Ginger one released her arms and the Tall one moved away to give his leader some privacy.
Seeing her chance Ace broke the kiss and dashed to her right. Her hands wrapped around the baseball bat's handle as the tall hooligan reached her. Her first swing caught him between the legs. "Serves you right toe rag!" She yelled as she charged the other two. They barely realized that she had turned their tag into a game of chicken before she was on them savagely swinging her weapon in great arcs above her head.
The bat crashed against body again and again until the hooligans lay motionless on the ground. "Gordon Bennett! I am never going anywhere without you!" she said as she kissed the bat in triumph before balancing it on her shoulder and continuing her journey. This morning she finally felt happy enough to whistle again.
Across the universe and years beyond existence, two figures sat locked in fierce combat. Their battlefield was a checkered wooden slate where figures of bone faced off. The last move had been made by the black player, a darkly handsome mountain of a man who wore his goatee with distinction.
His opponent did not seem to be of much note. He was obviously short, but he had a proud face that could, in the space of a breath, change from deeply pensive to outrageously giddy. His short wavy hair was tucked under his beige panama hat. The hat matched his thigh length jacket which fit snuggly over a question marked sweater.
For the last six Earth years he had sat at this game, toying with this evil monster and now it was time. Time to spring his trap.
"Before I make my next move, Fenric, I propose a wager." "Very interesting Doctor", said Fenric, "and what do you suggest this wager be?" "I'll wager that after my next move, you will not be able to find the one safe option that would grant you victory. One move and you could finish me. My life against yours, whomever looses the wager forfeits his life to the winner." The Doctor rolled his rs in a purr.
The dark man leaned back in his chair and considered his choices. "So be it Time Lord, I accept the bet." The chess board began to glow an eerie red.
"Here it goes" said the Doctor, he moved his queen across rank and file to take Fenric's rook thereby capturing his king. "I believe that would be check." The Doctor said as he doffed his hat to his opponent before leaving. His question-mark brolly swung in time to his steps as he disappeared into the Tardis, the universe ready for him to explore.
Fenric stood at the table for the next few decades trying to find a way out of the Doctor's trap.
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Eons seems to pass before he heard it again, that great wheezing sound. The black player turned from the chess game to face the newly returned Doctor.
"What is the solution!" he screamed as he picked up the little man and held him at eye level. Fenric's eyes glowed a ghastly green as the Doctor cleared his throat to speak.
"I cannot tell you. However I will provide you will a place for you to safely sit and ponder the problem until you have it." Fenric lowered the Doctor and blinked his confusion.
"You shall rrrrrrreside here", the shorter man said as he produced a white earthen jar with three handles from behind his back " I promise you will be quite comfortable, afraid you can't take your body though," he sighed "it wouldn't fit. Consciousness only please."
"And if I refuse!" The chessboard behind Fenric crackled with energy before firing a bolt directly at him.
"That happens" the doctor shrugged he sat back down in his old chair and leaned his head on his umbrella handle. "Are you prepared?" He asked after a few seconds of introspection.
"You have trapped me this time, Doctor but I warn you the wolves of Fenric will gather and my chains will shatter!" The doctor had had enough; he calmly reached forward and removed the stopper from the top of the jar. As the top squeaked free, a cyclone appeared and grabbed Fenric's essence in its tempests before disappearing back into the ceramic container. The Doctor replaced the stopper before picking up the jar. The body that once housed the evil entity fell like chaff to the ground.
"They may shatter, but I will always be there to put you back in the bottle, Fenric." The doctor winced as the jar sent out foul vibrations, assaulting his mind with impressions.
Flashes appeared before his eyes: A young Russian in basic training, an older British commander sitting behind a German desk in his reproduction of Hitler's office, a sad Hemovore standing alone on a slime covered beach, Earth's moon hanging in orbit above him, an old scholar, slumping excitedly in his wheelchair while going over logic diagrams and a young girl in a strange patch ridden bomber jacket leaning over the makings of some very sophisticated explosives that are strewn about her bed.
"So these are your wolves? Clever, quite clever." The Doctor placed the ceramic jar on the consol of the Tardis and started the engines. "But as I said before, Fenric, I will always be there." The time machine dematerialized as the Doctor left to find a safe place to hide the vessel of evil.
"Is that Miss, McShane?" said the customer as Ace approached the table. She was astounded to see a familiar face complete with the extra set of reading glasses perched on the man's shaggy grey head.
"Watcher, Professor Harvey!" She said as she leaned in to give him a hug. The restaurant was for once blissfully slow and she felt comfortable enough to sit across from her old chemistry teacher for a chat.
"How have you been, sir?" Ace inquired. "OH, not bad, not bad, new year new students, you know how it is. But, I must say I haven't had anyone blow up a class room since you left." Ace hung her head. "I also haven't had any as clever as you either." He smiled kindly at her. "Thanks professor", she said smiling back.
"Dorothy, get up. I don't pay you to dawdle!" Her manager, Finn, shouted at her from behind the diner's counter. "I'm sorry, professor, the boss has been on a power kick recently." Ace sighed as she got back on her aching feet.
"That's quite alright my dear, but before you go I have just one question for you." He said before she turned to walk away. Ace stood at attention and cocked her head to the side waiting for his inquiry.
He had to smirk. Professor Harvey had often seen this look on Miss. McShane's face when he asked the class a question. "Are you still meddling with chemistry and its use in highly explosive substances?" "Depends on what you would term as highly explosive, Professor."
There was the old cheek that he missed in school. Students had been too timid to give him any stimulating conversation of late. "I seem to recall a rumor that your pet incendiary devices are known as Nitro-9. Have you been making any more of it?"
"Oh, course not sir; I am a fully reformed ex-juvenile delinquent." She thrust her chin forward in mock defiance. "It would be daft of me to mess with that stuff anymore." She said with her biggest grin.
"In other words, her former teacher said, you have some with you now, don't you?" "Close but no cigar sir." She said with a shrug "Now I have to leave you guessing." She turned back to her work leaving her old teacher to enjoy his tea with a smile on his face.
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That night Ace took the stairs to her apartment two at a once. It was about time. Now she would finally be able to grubby her hands extracting nitroglycerine from her stock of gelignite. The door couldn't open fast enough.
When the twelfth lock tumbled open Ace rushed into her room and dumped her rucksack on the floor. She pulled out her supplies and laid them out on her bed. She carefully moved into a cross- legged position near her pillow and leaned over to take a mental inventory. Satisfied that everything was in order, Ace put on a set of silicon gloves and began to work.
She had just finished one bottle of Nitro-9 when she got a strange sensation in her gut.
Ace looked about her room and was surprised to see it fading in and out of focus. An eerie glow surrounded her in a circular pattern. Her vision was suddenly blinded by lines of light that drifted upwards. She tried in vain to see what was happening, but the light hurt. It echoed to the back of her skull and made her sick.
The feeling in her stomach intensified and just as Ace thought she wouldn't be able to keep down her supper, she vanished.
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Ace awoke hours later to find herself lying on a cot in some kind of hospital. A familiar beeping met her ears and she knew the lines leading from her body were medical instruments.
The medic stood beside her moments later. "Hello, I am Medic Fritz at your service." said the lupine humanoid. "Try not to move Miss. We do not know the full extent of your injuries yet."
Ace nodded. She was beginning to feel her nerves waking up and they were not happy. She felt like she had been run over by a double-decker bus.
"Where am I?" she croaked through parched lips. "You are on the dark side of the planet Svartos, in the spaceport known as Iceworld."
"What!" she said sitting up in distress. The movement was instantly regretted and Ace lowered herself back into a lying position. "Now, don't stress yourself young human, no need to exacerbate things."
"To right, Doc." She said, closing her eyes and trying to relax. Something strange caught her attention though and her hazel orbs shot open.
"Wait, doc." She said reaching up to place her hand on the shaggy medic's arm as he filled a syringe. "I know I'm not in Kansas anymore, but how is it that I can understand you?"
The medic smiled showing off his sharp canines. "This is a very busy spaceport, Miss. It wouldn't be very successful without the universal translating technology."
"Oh." Said Ace thoughtfully. "Now this will be to help you relax and give your physiognomy a chance to heal itself." he said.
Ace sucked in a breath as the thick needle pierced her skin. She began to drift off before the syringe was extracted. "Thank you." She whispered as she started to snooze. She thought she heard him say something about the bill, but she was too lost in drugged sleep to care.
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"Damn the bastards!" Ace shouted in frustration a month later when she received the bill from Iceworld Sick Bay.
She had just gotten rid of that bloody cane and she had only had her new job for a week. Now in order to pay her medical bills she would have to give a large percentage of her weekly income to Iceworld medical. "Why can I never catch a bloody break?" Ace asked the air as she plopped down on her bed.
She looked around her room before studying the bill again. Her apartment had been assigned to her when she left the hospital and Iceworld social services had helped her find a job to pay for it. If Ace had known she was to be charged for these 'services' she would have taken her chances on the street again.
"Perhaps, not," she verbally mused. "You would have frozen out there on your first night old girl."
Ace sighed and began to prepare for work. Funny how some things never change. Waitress on Earth, waitress on Svartos. You traveled halfway across the galaxy and are still good for nothing more than serving. Ace pulled her uniform on over her favorite t-shirt, skorts, and leggings before grabbing her black and grey rucksack and heading to work at the Iceworld cantina.
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At the end of her shift Ace felt just as angry as she did this morning. She decided that she could use some stress relief. So instead of going back to her closet of an apartment she stripped off her uniform, stowed it in her rucksack and headed to Iceworld's one and only disco-tech. After a short disagreement with the bouncer, she was finally allowed inside.
The inside of the club had a distinct smell of sweat and desperation. The music was almost too loud, but for once Ace didn't mind. She pressed through the crowd of patrons and sidled up to the bar and ordered a pint.
The cool liquid hit the back of her throat bringing a wave of relief. She sighed as she put down her cup.
"Pardon me", said a scruffy man on the barstool next to her to the bartender, "but do you take Asteroid Express?" "Not from your ilk, Glitz. Sorry Kane's orders." The bartender went to help other customers and Glitz lowered his head with a sigh. He absently fingered an old piece of parchment, lovingly tracing the lines that crossed over it.
Feeling a little generous Ace decided to take pity on him. "High and Mighty got you down?" "Nah, fong Kane's orders, it's the lack of drink whats got me down." Sabalom Glitz turned to look at his neighbor for the first time and what he saw brought a smile to his face.
"Here now what's a dish like you hanging around a dump like this?" Ace rolled her eyes. "See any other disco- techs on Iceworld, genius?" "Awlright don't get testy, I was just trying to have a spot of polite conversation." Glitz leaned one elbow on the bar and studied Ace's reaction. She smiled politely back at him.
"Sorry, it hasn't been a very easy year." she said her eyes conveying all of the sorrow life had caused her. Glitz noticed the distress and decided he was just the person to distract her.
He gently laid his hand on her shoulder. "That's alright Sprog. Fair few of us have had it rough, especially in this god forsaken corner of the twelve galaxies. I'm Glitz, by the way, Salabom Glitz."
"Ace." she answered simply as she shook his proffered hand. "Well tell you what Ace, it's a bit loud in here for conversation and I have a better place to talk." "Yeah, and where would that be?" asked Ace warily. "My ship, the Nosferatu."
The excitement she had felt at the prospect of being on an actual spaceship was tempered when Ace saw the piles of junk piled up in every available nook of the vessel. On second glance she discovered that the 'junk' was comprised of treasures from many cultures. She saw art that should be hanging in museums and jewelry that could only be meant for royalty.
"Space pirate are you Glitz?" she asked her tall companion as he lead her to the cockpit. "Nah, was once, but I'm on the straight and narrow now. All this junk is useless", he said gesturing to his surroundings. "Can't unload it to save my life. Right through here."
The walkway opened up to allow room for the captain and co-pilot chairs facing an expansive control panel. Ace stared at the controls in amazement as Glitz began rummaging under the consol.
"Ah, hah! Here we go." He said as he stood up brandishing a dusty bottle. "Last of me stash, Andromedan Lager." He busied himself pouring the drink while Ace batted the fuzzy set of dice that was hanging from a Stradivarius's bridge.
She turned to face Glitz as he handed her a glass. She took a gulp, savoring the bittersweet taste of the hot beer. "Aught to take it light on that stuff at first, Ace."
"Why?" she asked already knowing the answer. Her head was already fuzzy and she felt a strange warmth pulse through her. "It's a special blend." He said moving closer to her.
She looked up at him, her eyes barely focusing. The heat was intensifying, and Ace was beginning to sweat. She tossed off her bomber jacket but its loss was not helping.
Glitz was incredibly close now. She felt a slight pressure on her jaw line as he raised her mouth to his.
She smelled him, his scent, his breath. It was suffocating. She gasped for air as he broke the kiss.
"You know, I don't let people on the Nosferatu without paying for boarding privileges." She tilted her head and squinted at him. "Boarding privileges?" she whispered through her jumbled thoughts. "That's right, but seeing as you ain't got no grotzets, I am sure we can come to another arrangement." He said as he grabbed her shirt before ripping it off her.
She tried to cover herself with her arms but Glitz forced them away. He took a long look at her before continuing his assault.
She couldn't resist. Her arms were heavy and hung limp and useless at her sides. There was no baseball bat lying around this time and even if there was, Ace doubted she could lift it.
Everything about her felt wrong. Her head slumped forward in defeat as he tore away her last vestiges of clothing. He held her in place in front of him before spinning her around and forcing her to lean over the consol.
She could see the stars out of the docking bay airlock. They were smiling at her as usual. No, please don't watch my friends, I can't bear it.
She heard Glitz remove his clothes and she tried to struggle, but he kept his hand hard on her back allowing her no leeway.
She tried to sink inside herself, to hide herself away from danger as she had done when her mother had beaten her, but that sanctuary was refused.
He entered her without warning and she could feel herself tear. She wanted to cry, but the drink had directed all of her bodily moisture elsewhere. She felt herself become slick with what she hoped was blood and it was a bit less painful as Glitz continued pounding her.
Drops of moisture fell on her back as Glitz began to sweat with his efforts. She could hear him grunting behind her and she felt sick.
She turned her eyes to the stars one last time before passing out in a haze. The Lager had done its work as well as the powerful paralytic that Glitz had infused into it.
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When she woke she found herself in the same position, but there was thankfully no Glitz.
She shakily gathered her clothing and put on the few pieces that had not been torn. Her mind was still unfocused and she fumbled as she tried to pick up her discarded jacket.
It was not enough. Even her faithful bomber could not keep away the chill of Svartos alone.
Ace did not care. She wasn't going to stay in this horrible ship a minute longer.
She hobbled out of the craft and stumbled from the docking bay to her apartment feeling nothing but shame and disgust.
Ace collapsed on her bed and let the waves of emotion wash over her. She was raw. It felt as if every nerve had been exposed to the open air.
You only have yourself to blame. Why did you go to his ship? What were you thinking drinking something a stranger gives you? What were you thinking fucking a stranger? You're mum was right you are nothing but a useless whore!
Even her thoughts betrayed her. She could no longer hold back her tears and she fell asleep with salty trails down her face.
The next day Ace awoke with a new resolve. She would be damned if some bilge bag like Sabalom Glitz was going to get her ire up. Last night had been a mistake but she was not about to let it steal her sense of self. Never again would Ace let anyone get the upper hand on her.
She shoved her trusty baseball bat into the top part of her backpack before heading to work. Ace would be damned if anyone would catch her unawares again. With a second glance around her room she decided to grab a couple cans of Nitro-9. If I had this stuff last night, the Nosferatu would be space dust right now. Despite her mood the corner of Ace's mouth began to form a smile at that thought.
The Tardis materialized outside of the Cantina with a whoosh. The doors opened just as an announcer's voice was heard on the shopping center's speakers. "Don't miss our special offer in the nurturing spares department. Photon refrigeration units for only twenty four ninety five thank you."
The Doctor and Mel immerged from the blue police box and had a look around. "A freezer center", Mel whined "how boring." "Oh trust not appearances, Mel." He said as he doffed his hat to some passing customers. "You never know what might be lurking in the freezer chests. Think gothic."
A small girl wearing a dragon mask snuck up on Mel and grabbed her duster. Mel played with the child by feigning fright. The little girl giggled at her before moving back to her mum.
"This way." said the Doctor as he opened the doors to the cantina ushering Mel inside. At least in here it was not so blindingly cold.
The Doctor maneuvered his way to the counter and ordered two strawberry milkshakes before joining Mel at a table. From one of his spacious pockets, the Doctor produced a copy of The Doctor's Dilemma by the marvelous Bernard Shaw and he settled in for some quiet reading.
He had not gotten two sentences in before the argument at the table in behind him distracted from his reading.
"There must be some mistake in the reckoning, Sprog." "The mistake is in your wallet, not my arithmetic." said the voice of the young waitress. It was clear that her patience was wearing thin.
"Do you take Asteroid Express?" came the deep response that reminded him of a familiar rogue he had met in his previous incarnation. "Glitz!" he said in synch with Mel as he turned around to face the speaker. "What? No never heard of him." He said as he handed the waitress his credit card. She turned on the spot and stormed to the counter.
"It's us, Mel and the Doctor. You haven't forgotten us, have you, Glitz?" asked Mel with concern as she took the last seat at the table. Perhaps Glitz had hit his head.
"Shush. Keep your voice down. No, of course I haven't forgotten you. Mel" he said gesturing to her," and the Doc…Here! you're not the doctor."
Glitz seemed to recall the Doctor being a big blond bull of a man who always wore a jacket the color of, well, circus vomit. This diminutive man dressed better but looked nothing like the Doctor.
"I've regenerated. The difference is purely perceptual." Glitz took that in before jumping at the chance to have the Doctor aid him in his endeavor.
"Here, you couldn't do us a favor could you? You see, I'm in a spot of bother."
Just then the waitress returned to at their table with two milkshakes that she placed in front of the Doctor and Mel before shooting Glitz a withering glare and heading back to the snack bar.
"What's this Glitz? Not another one of your dodgy deals backfired?" asked the Doctor with an air of resignation. You can't teach an old pirate new tricks. He thought as he waited for an answer.
"No, no nothing like that, straight up. Fact is, I'm on a mission of a highly philanthropic nature." "What's that?" inquired Mel. "It means it's beneficial to mankind." said Glitz flippantly.
"We know what philanthropic means. What's the mission?" she clarified. "I have been entrusted to deliver certain secret documents which nefarious unnamed parties would stop at nothing to grasp in their own grubby digits."
"You mean…."
"They'd kill you." Mel finished for the Doctor as a team of three soldiers moved up to corner Glitz.
"Sabalom Glitz, we've been looking for you." said the female leader with authority.
Ace was happy to watch the exchange between Glitz and the soldiers from across the dining room.
She was being run ragged by the demanding woman at table three but she still managed to catch snippets of the conversation as she worked. She especially liked it when the kind looking man in the panama hat said exactly what she had wanted to all day. "You've got no one to blame but yourself." At least the bugger has the intelligence to look ashamed at that comment.
She went back to table three to get yet another order change from the demanding patron before heading to the counter.
"What does that woman want?! She asked for two chocolate shakes and then she decides she ordered a strawberry and a caramel, then they weren't cold enough, Gordon Bennett!" Her boss was showing no signs of sympathy, however.
"You will do as you're told. Less of your lip or you'll be out on your ear." He handed her a drink for table ten and she delivered it before grumbling "Hope the dragon gets you in the night."
"Dragon? What dragon?" asked the red head that had been talking to Glitz and the other man. "It's just a legend." Said Ace as she took a seat in the vacated chair at the woman's table. "There's supposed to be a terrifying dragon living in the ice passages underneath Iceworld." The kind looking man put down his book.
"I knew there must be a reason why you brought us here. You want to see the dragon, don't you." the red-head asked her companion.
"Oh really, Mel, it's fascinating." He said leaning in to converse. "Travelers claim to have seen it throughout the centuries but there's never been any proof." "Like the Lock Ness monster." stated Mel. The man corrected her pronunciation of Loch before Ace broke in. "You're going to look for the dragon?" "Absolutely" He said. "Oh, cool can I come too?" Ace pleaded.
"Won't you get into trouble with your boss?" "I'm fed up with being a waitress". Understatement of the year that, she thoughtbefore continuing "Oh. Go on, Professor, let me come too."
"Well I don't see why not." he said. "Ace! And can we search for the treasure too?" "Treasure?" he asked clearly interested. "Yeah. The dragon's supposed to be guarding a fabulous treasure." Ace was glad she had taken the time to read up on the local lore while she was in sick bay. The information, once thought inconsequential, was now the center of discussion and she was glad to be prepared. Her mood plummeted, however, when she heard Glitz laugh at her from the other table.
"Treasure, what treasure?" he puffed at them. "You don't want to go believing in myths and legends, Doctor."
Mel was beginning to be fed up with the old thief. "Who asked you? We're not talking to you." She snapped. Oh, I like this one thought Ace.
"No if you want my opinion", Glitz continued to butt in, "all this talk of treasure and dragons, it's all a load of old space dust." That does it, time to put the bilge bag in his place, mused Ace as she marched to Glitz's side. "Well if you're so convinced it's all rubbish, why have you been burning holes in this treasure map of the last two days?" she snatched the parchment from Glitz and returned to Mel's table to lay the map out.
Fully extended the map took up two thirds of the table top. "Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating." said the man with the question-mark brolly.
Mel wasn't convinced. "Looks like something from a jumble sale to me." "Oi, there's nothing snide about this document."Glitz defended. Sure.
"You don't want to believe nothing you get from him, Professor." Especially if he offers you Andromedan Lager. "He probably bought two hundred of them in a job lot." said Ace.
"Do you mind? Glitz spat back at her. "This is the real McCoy, this is. It comes from an unimpeachable source." "What's that then?" Ace challenged. "That means it is beyond reproach or question." Patronizing git.
"I know what unimpeachable means, bird bath, but what makes you so certain this map's pedigree is twenty-four carat?" She snapped back. "Because I acquired it from a man of character and distinction." assured Glitz. "How?" Mel stepped in. "I won it in, er", he lowered his eyes to his glass," a chess match." Like you would know the difference between a knight and a pawn, thought Ace as she continued to glare at him.
Mel wasn't fooled. "You won it playing cards. Doctor, it's a waste of time. He won it in a card game." She said with a sigh. "An honest transaction." Glitz insisted. "The man was desperate not to lose this map, so I know it's something very, very tasty."
The shorter man, oh what was his name, studied the map with great interest. "It shows the lower levels of Iceworld." "No one goes down there anymore. Too dangerous." Ace intimated.
Unperturbed the man pointed to places of interest. "The Ice Garden, the Singing Trees." "But like the girl says, Doctor, it's too dangerous." said the ever wary pirate.
"Where's your sense of adventure, Glitz?" the man encouraged. "What, do you want to go here, the Lake of Oblivion?" asked Glitz. "Where?" inquired the smaller man. Nothing but excitement this one, Ace smiled to herself. "Depth of Eternal Darkness? Dragonfire? I should stop at home, if I were you." the pirate warned.
Nothing could deter the small man's enthusiasm and it was infectious. "Cor, this sounds brill!" Ace said joining in. "My sentiments precisely." He leaned forward towards her expectantly. "What's your name, incidentally?" "Everyone calls me Ace." "Oh, how do you do." He said doffing his hat to her. "I'm the Doctor and this is my friend Mel." Ace shook their hands warmly.
So it's not just a title. "And we're really going to go looking for dragons?" she was getting pumped; any adventure would sure beat the heck out of staying at work. "Too risky if you ask me." Mumbled their fourth wheel. "Nonsense, Glitz. Time for a quick adventure then back for tea." assured the Doctor. "Ace!" "That's the spirit, Doctor." Even Mel was ready to move on.
The doctor folded up the scrap of parchment and was just placing it in his pocket when Glitz snatched it way from him. "Hang about! You can't go without me, that's my map." He waved the map at Mel and Ace. "And I don't want these girls coming along, either." "What?" Ace was getting tired of keeping her insults locked away. "It's too dangerous."
Ace tried to appeal to the Doctor's sense of fairness. "Professor!" she whined, but before she could plead her case Glitz stomped on her last nerve. "And since it's my map…"
She couldn't take it any longer. "Right, you male chauvinist bilge bag, just you wait." She growled as she shook her finger in his face before heading back to work. If she couldn't go on an adventure then she might as well try to make some money.
Ace felt the fire of resentment flare inside her as Glitz and the Doctor left to find the dragon. They wouldn't even know about it if I hadn't told them.
At least she had not been left alone; poor Mel had been left behind as well and it was good to have someone to talk to as she finished her shift.
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Hours later, after the brilliant adventure with the Doctor and co. Ace found herself in the Tardis for the second time.
This time it was goodbye. She would miss the Professor. She knew his name was the Doctor but since he didn't seem to mind the nickname she had given him, to her he would always be the Professor. He had taught her so much.
Mel on the other hand had decided to come with her and Glitz on the unfortunately named Nosferatu II.
Ace hung her head as she fell in step behind Glitz as he said farewell to his old friend/ part time accomplice.
She felt trapped. The last place she wanted to go was 'home' to Perivale and the last person she wanted to travel with was Sabalom Glitz. How was she supposed to pay for boarding privileges now? Ace snapped out her reverie just as Glitz was telling Mel to get a move on.
"I'll send you a postcard." Mel assured the Doctor. "But I don't have an address." He protested. "Oh, I'll put it in a bottle and throw it into space. It'll reach you, in time." She embraced the Doctor before turning to leave with Glitz hot on her heals.
Ace couldn't bring herself to hurry, but she didn't know what to say, so her feet headed for the door.
"Ace, where do you think you're going?" asked the Doctor. "Perivale." "Ah yes, but by which route? The direct route with Glitz, or the scenic route?" a smile tugged at Ace's mouth. Was he offering her a way out? It was too much to hope for, but she appreciated the thought all the same.
"Well?" he continued. "Do you fancy a quick trip round the twelve galaxies and then back to Perivale in time for tea?" More than anything! "Ace!" she said as she jumped with joy.
She ran to him ready to give him a thankful hug, but he stopped her by holding up his fingers. "But there are three rules. One, I'm in charge." "Whatever you say, Professor." she readily agreed. "Two, I'm not the Professor, I'm the Doctor." "Whatever you want." "And the third." He paused, "Well, I'll think up the third by the time we get back to Perivale."
There was no hiding the brilliant smile that graced Ace's features. The prospect of traveling with the Doctor might be too good to be true, but for the moment she didn't care.
The End