Stitch in Time
Word Count:
Chapter One: In Which The Scene Is Almost Set.
Summery: "So you're the manifestation of an ineffable human conception?" Maria sighed heavily. "Yes, I suppose so."
A/N: This is my first story that's: longer than a one shot drabble; a Doctor-Who fic; on this site. I won't insult your intelligence by asking you to 'be nice', but if you could give some constructive criticism, it would be much appreciated.
"So you're telling me that we're dropping everything to answer the intergalactic equivalent of a text message?"
"Yeah, that's the gist of it."
"Okay, just so long as we're clear on that." Martha stared up at the moving column in the TARDIS control room, and was finding it hard to not feel slightly bitter about the whole thing. They'd been enjoying a rare break from universe saving on the Musical Islands of Klatch, the most remote and picturesque planet in the Eden Sector of the Hawthorn Galaxy. They'd looked like a real, unassuming couple, and Martha could sense that the Doctor was finally starting to unwind, when his psychic paper buzzed with a message: 'Urgent. Please Come Now. Coordinates follow.' So much for unwinding.
The column ground to a halt and the Doctor looked at the computer screen. "Ah. I was right. This makes it interesting."
"What makes what interesting?"
He looked over to Martha, and smiled placidly. "Oh, nothing, just – nah, it's nothing," he said, striding over to the door. "Ladies first?"
"When you tell me where we are, yeah."
The Doctor yanked open the door. "Welcome to the Year 2784, and the Seat of the Emperor of Mexico, formally known as Seattle."
Martha stepped outside, unsure of what to expect.
Later, she reasoned, it wasn't that.
A seething metropolis spread out before them. Towering skyscrapers reaching dizzying heights and hundreds of thousands of people were scattered below, above and before them. Cars and vehicles buzzed above the tops of the towers, some diving down and some rising into the invisible roads in the sky. Martha realised that this was the urban jungle; the canopy gave way to the middle section where they were and the undergrowth was dark and dangerous, infested with vagabonds and low-lifes.
"Erm, Doctor?" She said when she'd found her voice.
"Yeah?"
"What are we standing on?" Underneath them, there was nothing but air, and yet it felt like solid ground. Layers of people above and below were walking on thin air, completely un-bothered by this physics-defying feat.
"Quantum flooring transparency experiment. Allows us lot to walk above the lower levels without being mugged and it gives them light and air. Good innit?"
"So we're-"
"Walking through the air, yeah." He smiled brightly. "Shall we?"
As they walked on, Martha realised that she was breathing in fresh air, highly unusual for a city. "Where's all the pollution? I mean, I don't miss it, I'm just-"
"Wondering why we aren't choking on carbon dioxide fumes by now? If we'd arrived in 2307, we would have been. That's when the world seemed to crack The last remnants of North Pole was seen off in three day, half of the ice on Greenland slid into the sea and the Gulf Stream froze. Almost everyone in Western civilization froze or downed because of that.
"Complete and utter chaos reined supreme until 2563, when a Mexican king declared himself ruler of the American Empire, sorted out the huddled masses and helped the crippled planet get back into shape. Oh, and he re-populated an entire continent."
"What, by himself?"
"Cheeky – nah, he made north America… live-able in once more and sent people to make it great again. However, he was reputable for having a number of illicit affairs, and he's said to have had 135 children. Still, he was probably just living up to his namesake – Hugo Fernando Casanova El Grande," he said, rolling the 'R's' with relish. Martha shook her head in disbelief.
"Casanova saved the world? Alright then, say I believe you – that still doesn't explain the lack of CO2 though".
"I was getting there! Casanova got the greatest scientific minds and engineers to build a huge fan, that sort of sucked away the harmful gasses."
"How big was the fan?" Asked Martha, a small smile playing in the corner of her lips. However, she was beginning to notice the stares from passers-by directed at the Doctor. Almost everyone was Hispanic or Black, and there didn't seem to be another Caucasian face in the bustling crowds. She saw out of the corner of her eye, 'No Whites Allowed on this Level', and chill ran down her spin.
"Oooh, the size of Australia?" Said the Doctor, seemingly oblivious to the growing tension. "It worked too well – the air's too clean now, and you lot had evolved to deal with dirty air. People get dizzy and faint, which doesn't sound too bad, unless it's at the top of the stairs in one of those things." He pointed to a looming skyscraper.
"Ouch, nasty."
"Yeah, not very nice."
"Doctor?"
"Hmm?"
"Why is everyone staring at you?" They stopped walking. Everyone was watching them, some looked shocked and appalled. People walking above and below had stopped to look at them. An angry buzz started, and a huge black man approached the Doctor. "No whites on this level, amigo, can't you read? Señorita, is this guy bothering you?" He said to Martha, a menacing growl in his voice.
"Er, no he's-"
"Señor! That's enough!" Martha whirled around to the source of the voice. A few people gasped and some bowed low as a harried looking woman walked quickly towards them . "This man is a friend of mine. He will be treated with dignity and respesct. Understand?" An affirmative rippled through the multitude. "Now, on your way, all of you." As the throng dispersed, she said to the Doctor, "Call me Maria Mensajero. Shall we talk somewhere a bit more… secluded? My office, perhaps?"
"Yes, capital idea!" He said loudly, but with a forced grin. To Maria, he hissed, "What the Hell do you want?"
"Please, I'll explain later, just come with me," She whispered as they walked away from the masses, Martha hurrying to keep up.
"Will someone please explain what's going on? Doctor?"
"Martha this is Maria. She's a Time An -"
"Doctor! Later!" Martha interrupted. "Martha? It'll all be explained. But please, not here. Not now." The Doctor made a 'humph' noise, and together the three walked towards Mensajero Towers.
Well, that's the first chapter. I've tried to iron out the creases, but if you spot anything, please let me know.
Next chapter will be up soon.
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