18
Rose Smith: Stargazer
No Copyright Infringement Intended. I do not own the Doctor, nor do I own any of the other Doctor Who characters used in this story. I do not own the TARDIS, nor do I own the Sonic Screwdriver. I do not own Nessun Dorma. I do own Rose Smith, all of my aliens, and my ideas.
Scene: An airport in Rose's parallel world.
[Everywhere people are standing around with luggage, saying goodbye to loved ones and giving hugs and kisses. The human Doctor and Rose are standing with their daughter, named Rose, age 3, (here referred to as 'little Rose') and Jackie. They both have luggage with them.]
Rose: (hugging little Rose) Bye-bye, Rose. You be a good girl for your Gran. Daddy and I will be back soon, OK? Oh, I'm gonna miss you so much!
Little Rose: Bye, mummy.
Rose: (hugging Jackie) Bye Mum, we'll be in touch.
Jackie: Be careful, Rose.
Rose: Oh, Mum. You don't have to worry. Everything's going to be fine. Besides, we can't just do nothing.
Jackie: Still, be careful. (hugging human Doctor) Bye, John. Take care of her.
Human Doctor: Of course. And you take care of our Rose.
Jackie: Oh, she and I are going to have a great time! Aren't we sweetie?
[Little Rose smiles and laughs, so do the others.]
Human Doctor: (bending down to little Rose) Mummy and I have a present for you, darling. Here. (pulls a small wrapped box out of his pocket) Open it up.
[Little Rose opens it. The others watch and smile. She finishes opening it and pulls out a locket.]
Little Rose: (with delight) A necklace!
Rose: (bending down and putting it on her) That's right, Rose. It's a locket. Inside, there's a picture of me and Daddy, so when we're gone for a little while, you can open it up and we'll be there.
Human Doctor: (hugging little Rose) Bye, darling. I'm going to miss you. Be good.
Little Rose: Ok.
Voice on the Intercom: Flight 327 for Genevia, now boarding.
[They all say their final goodbyes, give final hugs and kisses, and the human Doctor and Rose pick up their luggage and walk away, waving. Jackie picks up little Rose and they also wave goodbye.]
Scene: On the airplane, which is more technologically advanced than those we have on our earth.
[The human Doctor and Rose are sitting next to each other on the plane, talking.]
Rose: Doctor, do you think that this is really going to do any good? This conference. Will we be able to prevent the war, do you think?
Human Doctor: I don't know, Rose. But we have to try; you and I especially. We have an obligation. We know too much to just sit back and let this world destroy itself.
Rose: I guess you're right.
Voice on the Intercom: This is your captain speaking. We hope you have enjoyed the flight so far, because it will be your last one. We know why you have all boarded this plane. We know about the so-called secret peace conference in Genevia. Unfortunately, none of you will be able to attend, as you had planned.
[The human Doctor and Rose exchanged worried looks.]
Voice on the Intercom: The plane will crash in the ocean, and you will all die. Then, we will begin our fight for world domination.
Human Doctor: (stands) This won't work. You may kill us, but there will be more people. There will always be more, and they'll stop you even if we can't.
[There's the sound of an explosion, and the plane begins going down fast. The human Doctor puts his arms around Rose.]
Human Doctor: I love you.
Rose: I love you.
[They kiss. Explosion and blackout.]
Scene: The TARDIS
[The Doctor is rushing around trying to get the TARDIS under control while it's beeping and crashing around. The Doctor is talking to himself/ the TARDIS.]
Doctor: No, no, no! ... Come on! What are you doing that for? (Etc)
[The TARDIS takes off, and the Doctor falls to the floor. When it lands with a crash, the Doctor gets up and examines the controls, looks at the computer screen, Etc. But he is frustrated, and unable to figure out what is wrong.]
Doctor: (to himself) OK then. Let's see where we are.
[He leaves the TARDIS]
Scene: A major city on the planet Anorak.
[The Doctor walks around the city for a while. The people there are all friendly, polite, and happy. There is music everywhere. The Doctor walks around happily smiling. He stops to watch some street musicians, looking closely at a cello. After the piece is over and the musicians are fiddling with their instruments, the Doctor approaches the cellist.]
Doctor: Um, could I borrow one of those knobby things? (pointing to a peg) I need it to fix my… um… machine.
Cellist: (Shrugs) Sure. (removes peg and hands it to the Doctor)
Doctor: (taking it) Thanks.
[The Doctor returns to the TARDIS. He places the peg in a small hole in the console and turns it. The TARDIS starts up.]
Doctor: That's more like it.
Scene: Rose's parallel world. The house is not as fancy as the one seen in the Cyberman episodes, but it is better than the house that Jackie and Rose had lived in. It's evening.
[Little Rose (from here on referred to as Rose) is standing on a balcony outside her bedroom. She is wearing the locket from her parents. She's using a telescope. We can see a bit of her bedroom through the doors on the balcony. It's clear that she is interested in outer space. There are posters of planets and stars, etc.]
Jackie: (calls from inside) Rose! Put that thing away and get to bed. It's late!
Rose: (calls back) Yes, Gran. (She doesn't)
Scene: Inside the house, the living room
[Jackie and Tony are talking.]
Jackie: Honestly, I don't know why she does it. They're the same stars every night.
Tony: (jokingly) Aw, Mum. You know why she does it. Stars are in her blood.
Jackie: (seriously) Don't tell her that. I mean it, Tony. Don't ever tell her anything about it. I lost her mother because of him. I am not going to lose her, too.
[Jackie walks to the mantel. There are some picture frames sitting on it. We see a picture of Pete, one from the human Doctor and Rose's wedding, and one of Martha and Mickey. Jackie looks at them, especially the one with Rose, and begins crying. Tony comes over to her and puts a hand on her shoulder.]
Scene: The balcony
[Rose is still looking through her telescope. She sees something strange in the sky, and tries to get a better look. Suddenly, she is teleported away, and we no longer see her.]
Scene: The TARDIS
[The Doctor is tinkering with the controls on the console.]
Doctor: (to himself) Well, looks like everything's in working order. (holds the peg in his hand and looks at it) Guess I don't need you anymore, do I?
[The Doctor puts the peg in his pocket and leaves the TARDIS.]
Scene: The city on the planet Anorak that we saw before. Now, however, it looks very different. It is much darker, and there are fewer people around.
[The Doctor sees a few people run through the street. He hears gunshots and shouts.]
Doctor: (taking it all in and realizing that something's wrong) Right…
Scene: The lobby of the Anorak government headquarters.
[The Doctor goes to the front desk and speaks to the secretary.]
Doctor: Hello, I'm the Doctor. I'd like to have an audience with the President.
Secretary: (brusquely) Do you have an appointment?
Doctor: No, I'm the Doctor. He has an appointment with me.
Scene: Office of the President of Anorak
[The Doctor and the President are talking.]
President: The Zundans have taken control. That's all there is to it. They are in control and we are unable to resist them. It is only a matter of time now before we are all dead.
Doctor: (concerned/confused) What do you mean?
President: They have taken over. We are powerless against them. We will all die, and the planet will be theirs.
Doctor: Not if I can help it.
[The Doctor leaves.]
Scene: Inside a hallway in the Zundan spaceship
[The TARDIS shows up, and the Doctor steps out. Two Zundan guards arrive, and point their guns at him.]
Doctor: (light-heartedly) Right. Hello, there. (pause) Take me to your leader.
[The Zundans escort the Doctor to the main control room. Koami (the leader of the Zundans) is there, along with many other Zundan guards.]
Doctor: Koami! Hello! It's been a while.
Koami: To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, Doctor?
Doctor: The fact that you're taking over a peaceful planet and that the people there are dying!
Koami: But you have no evidence against us. We are not the ones doing the killing. We are simply waiting for the Anoraks to vacate the planet so that we may occupy it.
Doctor: And why would you want to do that?
Koami: We plan to begin a new race of Zundans; one more powerful than any other being.
Doctor: Right. And how were you planning on doing that, now?
Koami: Simple. We merely acquire a brain that is superior to all others and insert it into a Zundan prototype. Soon we will have a race of master Zundans and control of our own new planet.
Doctor: (understanding and thinking it over) I see. That would probably work. Um, might I ask whose brain you were intending to… acquire?
Koami: (slimily) I'm so glad that you asked, dear Doctor.
[Two Zundan guards come and stand on either side of the Doctor.]
Doctor: Ah, I see… Aren't you going to tie me up or something? Put me in a cell?
Koami: If you attempt to escape, our guns will stop you. We do not need chains and bars.
Doctor: Right.
[The Doctor looks around and notices central power control unit machine]
Doctor: (thinking) Right.
Koami: (ignoring him) It is quite convenient than you came. We were going to use a brain that was only part Time Lord, but why bother with that now that we have a pure, perfect Time Lord brain.
Doctor: (confused/ almost panic) Wait a minute, what do you mean 'part Time Lord?' Where did you find someone who's part Time Lord?
Koami: (to two other Zundan guards) Bring the girl. (to the Doctor) We had to search for a long time to find such a brain, and then we had much trouble retrieving it.
[The guards return, escorting a terrified, but composed, Rose. The Doctor instantly realizes who she is.]
Doctor: I don't believe it.
Koami: (ignoring him) However, now that we have you here, we can get rid of her.
Doctor: (firmly and sternly) Koami, you can't do that.
Koami: Really, Doctor? (challenging him) Just try and stop me.
[The Doctor takes his Sonic Screwdriver from his pocket and zaps the central power control machine with it. This provides power for the Zundans's guns, so they are now useless. The Doctor runs to Rose and grabs her hand.]
Doctor: (to Rose, urgently) Run!
[The Zundans try to shoot at the Doctor as he runs, and realize quickly that their guns don't work, but they chase him anyway. As they run, the Doctor leads Rose back to the TARDIS. The two Zundan guards that the Doctor first met are there. They aim their guns at him. The Doctor and Rose stop. The Zundans try to fire, but nothing happens. They look at their guns, surprised. The Doctor smiles at them and runs between them. He and Rose enter the TARDIS and close the doors on the Zundans.]
Scene: Inside the TARDIS
Rose: (entirely confused, and trying to make some sense of what's happening) What is going on?
[The Doctor is running around the console, preparing the TARDIS for flight.]
Doctor: (happily) I'm the Doctor. I still can't believe that they found you. I don't think that anyone knew about me, well him… Hold on!
Rose: (confused, and very Donna-like) What?
[The TARDIS takes off. Rose falls to the ground and panics. When the TARDIS lands, she runs out the door.]
Scene: A park on planet Earth.
[Rose is confused, realizing that this Earth is not the one that she comes from. The Doctor comes out of the TARDIS shortly after she does. She turns to face him.]
Rose: (firmly) Who are you, and where are we?
Doctor: I told you. I'm the Doctor. And we're on planet Earth. Mind you, it's not the Earth that you're used to.
Rose: Yes, I can see that.
Doctor: This is a parallel world. It's a lot like yours, only… different. Haven't your parents told you all about it? This is your mum's world.
Rose: (amazed, looking at him with new eyes) You know my parents?
Doctor: Well, of course! I'm the Doctor! Don't they ever talk about me?
Rose: (flatly) My parents are dead.
Doctor: (after an emotional pause) You must be so lonely.
Rose: (surprised, quietly) Yes.
Doctor: (trying to change the subject) Do you smell chips?
[Rose nods.]
Doctor: (kindly) Let's go, then! Oh, what's your name?
Rose: It's Rose.
[The Doctor smiles and takes her hand. They start walking.]
Scene: A small café or restaurant. The Doctor and Rose are sitting at a table together, talking.]
Rose: (fingering her locket as she speaks) It was fourteen years ago. Mum and Dad were going… somewhere… I don't know where. Gran's never told me. The plane crashed, and all of the people who were on board died. I think it must have been some top secret thing because the circumstances were suspicious, and no one seems to know anything about it, or if they do, they don't talk about it, or at least they don't tell me.
Doctor: So, you don't know much about your mum and dad?
Rose: (shakes her head) Gran won't tell me anything. She says she's trying to protect me, but…
Doctor: I can tell you.
Cut until later.
Rose: (making sense of everything the Doctor has just told her) So, my mum traveled through space with you, and the two of you saved the world, and other planets, and the universe, and then you made a clone of yourself by a…
Doctor: Biological meta-crises.
Rose: Yeah, that… (she continues) and my mum married him. But now you've regenerated, so you look different.
Doctor: Right.
Rose: (pauses, thinking) Whenever people hear that my parents both died, it's always the same thing. 'Oh, how sad.' 'I'm so sorry.' 'How tragic.' They say things that don't really mean anything because they don't understand. No one else knows that after the loss and sorrow and hurt, it's just empty loneliness. (pause) How did you know?
Doctor: Because I lost your mum, too. She had me, and he had her, but I had to let her go.
Rose: (changing the subject) Your time machine; it's bigger on the inside, isn't it?
Doctor: (smiling) Yeah, it is.
Rose: (nods) Cool.
Scene: The park on planet Earth where they first landed
[Rose and the Doctor are walking, on their way back to the TARDIS]
Rose: So, why did those aliens kidnap me?
Doctor: For your brain. Apparently, they want to crate a Zundan master-race, and they wanted the best brain. Now, you have some Time Lord blood in you, so that's why they chose you and tracked you down.
[They keep walking. The Doctor is deep in thought.]
Rose: What is it?
Docor: (pondering, to himself as much as to her) Those people on Anorak, the planet that the Zundans are controlling. I can't figure it out. They were so alive; so full of life and vitality. Now they're… pathetic; unable to fight back, and killing each other. How are the Zundans able to control them like that?
Rose: (eagerly) Take me there.
Doctor: What? Why?
Rose: I've always wanted to see another planet.
Doctor: Well, what about this one?
Rose: No, I mean not a planet Earth.
Doctor: (giving in) Alright.
Scene: The city on Anorak where the Doctor was before.
[The Doctor leaves the TARDIS first and Rose follows him. The situation is as it was before; a few people running away from others, gunshots, cries.]
Rose: Something's not right here.
Doctor: I know! There's no sign of invasion, and yet they're being controlled and conquered, but it's all internal.
Rose: (almost frightened) I want to leave.
Scene: The TARDIS
[The Doctor is pacing, muttering to himself from time to time, clearly agitated. Rose is sitting, quietly thinking.]
Rose: (to herself as much as to him) It's strange. On Anorak and on the Zundan space ship, there wasn't any music.
[The Doctor stops pacing, and turns to look at her. Rose doesn't notice this and keeps talking.]
Rose: It was weird. There's always music somewhere on Earth, even on that parallel Earth. There's music in the shops, and cafés, and people are listening to the radio. But those aliens don't have any music. It doesn't seem right.
[She looks at the Doctor and realizes that he has been staring at her.]
Rose: (with concern) What?
Doctor: (triumphant) That's it! They've taken away their music! That's how the Zundans are controlling them!
Rose: What do you mean?
Doctor: (explaining) Before, Anorak was full of music, and it was happy and peaceful. Now- no music, no peace.
Rose: (confused) But how does that work?
Doctor: (to himself) How does that work? (to her, working it out in his mind as he speaks) Well, music is about structure, and form. It's about cooperation, and order, and everything that makes a society function properly. Take all of that away and bam! The society dies.
Rose: (understanding) Spontaneous internal combustion.
Doctor: Right.
Rose: But then how do the Zundans survive without music?
Doctor: (dismissing it) Oh, their brains are wired differently or something like that. (light bulb moment) Brilliant.
Scene: Inside the Zundan spaceship.
[Two Zundan guards escort the Doctor and Rose into the main control room. Koami and the other Zundans are their again. The central control machine is back up and running normally.]
Koami: (gloating and mocking) Is this wise, Doctor? Returning to your captors after such a … daring escape. And bringing the girl with you, too.
Doctor: (making light of the situation) Well, I couldn't just leave her behind. She's my secret weapon, you see.
[The Doctor and Rose exchange glances and smile.]
Koami: Your weapons will not work against us. As you can see, Doctor, we have restored power, and reinforced the controls. Your tiny weapons are useless now.
Doctor: (practically ignoring him) Right, anyway. Koami, we're giving you one last chance. Leave the people of Anorak alone. Let them be.
Koami: (trying to belittle him) You never give up, do you, Doctor?
Doctor: (defiantly) No.
Koami: We are so close to success. Soon the Anorakians will be extinct, and we may begin work on the superior Zundan master-race! We will not 'let them be.'
Doctor: Alright, then. (nods to Rose) They're all yours.
[Rose takes a deep breath and begins singing 'Nessun Dorma.' Instantly, the Zundans cover their ears and writhe in pain. The center power control machine begins fizzling. One by one the Zundans fall to the ground, motionless. As she sings, Rose becomes noticeably weaker, and it is difficult for her to remain standing and singing. The Doctor is watching the Zundans with a pleased expression, and looks proudly at Rose. As she sings the last few notes, Koami is the last one standing, but he it's a lost fight. As she sings the last high note, the power control machine blows and Koami falls. Just after she finishes, she collapses from exhaustion, but the Doctor runs to her and catches her as she falls to the ground.]
Doctor: (with gentle concern) Are you alright, Rose?
Rose: (with effort, taking deep breaths) Yes… It's strange. I felt all this… (trying to find the right words) energy, or something. It was just… pouring out of me while I was singing.
Doctor: That was the energy of emotion. Music is all sorts of things like form and structure, but those are all man-made. What music truly is- is emotion. And that's not man-made. Music's joy and fear and hate and-
Rose: (understanding) -And love. A world without love would destroy itself.
Doctor: All humans have so much emotional energy. You do, too. And you gave almost all of it, especially love, to the Zundans.
Rose: (nervous) Did I kill them?
Doctor: (reassuring) No, no. I wouldn't let you do that. You just stunned them, that's all. Their brains aren't designed to handle emotion, especially love, so when you gave it to them, their brains shut down because they couldn't cope. They were right, though. They're going to have a Zundan master-race. When they wake up, they're going to be capable of emotion. They'll be able to love.
Rose: So what happens now, to the Anorakians?
Doctor: Let's go see!
[The Doctor helps Rose stand, and they return to the TARDIS.]
Scene: The city on the planet Anorak.
[The city is as it was when we first saw it. Everyone is happy, and they're music everywhere again. The Doctor and Rose are walking around.]
Doctor: (to Rose) All these people. You saved them.
[The Doctor is proud of her. Rose is unsure, though. They walk around a bit, looking at the people. They come across the musicians that the Doctor had seen earlier.]
Doctor: (to Rose) Oh! Wait here a minute.
[He runs over to the musicians, who are getting out their instruments and tuning them. The Doctor runs up to the cellist.]
Doctor: (to cellist) Excuse me. (pulls the peg out of his pocket and hands it to the cellist) Thank you.
Cellist: (taking it) You're welcome.
[The Doctor goes back to Rose. She takes his hand.]
Rose: I'm ready to go home, now.
Scene: the TARDIS in outer space
[The Doctor and Rose are standing at the open door of the TARDIS, looking out at the stars.]
Rose: This looks so different in person. It's so much better than looking through a telescope.
Doctor: (contentedly) Yeah, nothing like being up close and personal with the stars.
Rose: And they all have their own names, and they're all different. And you know all about each and every one of them, don't you, Doctor?
Doctor: (nods) Every single one.
Rose: (smiling) Brilliant.
[They smile at each other, then he closes the door and they go back into the TARDIS. Rose stands at the top of the ramp thing, and the Doctor goes to the console. Rose stands still, watching, while the Doctor rushes about, flipping switches, etc.]
Doctor: I can't take you back in the TARDIS, unfortunately. The hole it would leave would be too big, you see. Of course, I could drop you off at this beach in Norway. (pauses, quietly) No, maybe better not. (as before) I'll just have to teleport you back by yourself. It's safer that way.
[Rose nods.]
Doctor: So, I've been wondering, what did I, or your dad call himself?
Rose: John Smith, but Mum always called him Doctor.
Doctor: Brilliant.
Rose: Yeah, I never could figure that out before.
Doctor: And Jackie and Pete, how are they?
Rose: Granddad died a while ago, but Gran's fine.
Doctor: I wouldn't tell her about your little… (looking for the right word) adventure, if I were you. She never really liked to have Rose dashing about time and space with me.
Rose: (laughs) Yeah, I can imagine that. Thank you, though. I'm glad that…
[The Doctor stops moving around and looks at her.]
Rose: I mean, now I know who my parents were, and … I understand. I don't think life will be as lonely now, as it was.
[The Doctor is silent, he looks away from her.]
Rose: You loved my mum a lot, didn't you?
Doctor: Yes. Yes I did.
Rose: Here. (she takes of her locket) I want you to have this.
[He looks at her, astonished.]
Rose: My parents gave it to me the last time that I saw them. But I think they would want you to have it now.
[The Doctor takes it and opens it. He smiles sadly.]
Doctor: (genuinely) Thank you.
[Rose smiles.]
Doctor: (Pauses, closes the locket and puts it in his pocket, changing the subject) I can drop you at your front door.
[Rose nods.}
Doctor: Are you ready?
Rose: No.
[The Doctor looks questioningly at her. She runs to him and throws her arms around him, holding tightly, her head against his chest. The Doctor puts his arms gently around her and puts his head down against hers. He closes his eyes and tries to hold back the tears. Rose lets go, and steps back, smiling through her tears.]
Rose: Now I'm ready.
Doctor: Right then. (goes to console, turns and looks at her) Rose Smith. (smiles) Your mother would be proud.
Rose: (smiles) Thank you.
Doctor: Thank you.
[The Doctor flips a switch, and Rose vanishes. The Doctor stands looking at where she was. Then, as if he had been holding this in the whole time, he turns and smashes his fists against the console.]
Doctor: (shouts in agony and grief) Rose! (he cries)
Scene: Outside Rose's house in the parallel world. Late at night, almost morning.
[Rose materializes outside the house, and looks around, almost not believing all that just happened. She hurries inside.]
Scene: Inside the house
[Rose runs in the front door. Jackie has been pacing the floor. She sees her, runs to her and hugs her.]
Jackie: (relieved) Rose! Where have you been? (steps back, scolding) Do you realize what time it is? What on earth have you been doing?
Rose: (simply) I've been looking at the stars.
The End