Vastra's Calling
A Prequel to the Crimson Horror
The dingy London streets were quiet and still, filled with the chill of winter; meagre lampposts illuminated the alleyway, forcing the stygian gloom to retreat. The dark of night closed in about the street, as a cart made its way along the cobbled road; a wizened, starving child wandered wearily down the path and quickly spotted the cart as it approached. She wanted to ask the person in the carriage for a penny, just one shiny, silvery penny. She could do so much with one. She knew that she would probably be yelled at furiously and she would only end up feeling even more forlorn. However, she was so desperate for a shiny penny, that she tiptoed towards the carriage. The coachman was a hooded, stocky fellow. Would he hit her? She began to question herself. But it was too late.
"Hello. What do you want?" said the coachman, as the little girl gulped in anxiety. "Well? Speak."
"P... please, sir," she began to stutter. "Could you spare a penny?"
"A penny?" he took down his hood and she gasped, aghast; a monster! The coachman was not human; he had a large, dome- like, brown head with a broad nose and a friendly, but intimidating, smile. "Why would you want a penny, boy?"
"I ain't no boy!" she retaliated. "I'll have you know, I happen to be a young lady?"
"What is your name then, not- boy?"
"It's Margaret, Margaret Jones."
"Well then, Margaret Jones, you want a penny? Would you like a grenade instead?"
"What's a grenade thingy?" she said, bewildered by the sight of the creature. "What are you, anyway? You ain't from here?"
The coachman grunted.
"No, I am not. I am Strax, Commander Strax of the glorious Sontaran Empire, as you will address me! I am from the planet Sontar. I will fight for it any day!"
"Then why aren't you there now?" she asked inquisitively.
"I... I... can't be," he sighed. "I... just can't be."
Just then, a voice sounded from a small speaker beside Strax; it had a familiar London accent.
"Strax, is everything alright out there? You haven't tried recruiting those poor kids as your battle squad again, have you?"
"No, madame," said Strax, embarrassed. "I told you! They said their parents would let me take them to Sontar! Come to think of it, they didn't have any."
"Then what is it?" asked the voice.
"This boy- I mean girl- wants a penny. She didn't want a grenade though."
A velvet curtain was drawn in the carriage, the door swung open and a kind lady stepped out; she had a bun of black hair and wore a blue waistcoat. She smiled to Margaret.
"Are you okay, dear?" she said, welcomingly. "Are you lost?"
"A little far from home," the little girl sighed. "I suppose I'll be sleeping here for tonight."
"Now, don't speak like that," said the woman. "My name's Jenny, Jenny Flint. Here you go," she gave her two pennies that glinted in the street light. "Where's your home?"
"Some street over that way."
"Well, I'm sure Strax won't mind if you sat up with him. We'll deliver you back home, if you want."
"Madame," said Strax, looking down at the open carriage door. "I have just been given this letter from a tough- looking boy over there. It's from Madame Vastra."
"Well, let's here it," she said, as Margaret climbed up to sit beside the sontaran.
Strax read aloud: "It says: Dear Jenny and Strax, I hope that you are enjoying your small tour of the city. Unfortunately, I have not been having as much fun. The Sargent and I have discovered traces of a sinister, poison that some are calling: the Crimson Horror. Get back as soon as you can. We must depart for the north immediately. With no sign of the Doctor, we can only hope he'll get here soon."