TRTSS24: Ranma Who's Trek! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: R1/2, SM, ST, DW and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This story focuses on the Saotome couple's adventures with the 11th incarnation of the Timelord known simply as "The Doctor".
Author's Note: Possible "Spoiler Alert" notice for Season 5 of "Doctor Who".
Part 4: "The Beast Below" (A)
My name is Amelia Pond. When I was a child, I was visited by three bears: a Doctor Bear, a Ranma Bear, and Bunny Bear. And when I followed the Bunny, I went down the Rabbit hole and met my beloved Gino. Gino, Dr. Gino Pond to most, turned out to be the Bunny Bear known as "Sailor Moon"…or "Sailor Cosmos", if she was in the mood. But Moon Princess or not, male or not, I need to find Gino, so that a right can be made wrong, no matter the consequence…
"This…is fascinating," Amy said, as she floated just outside of the TARDIS in her nightgown and robe, with only a tether to keep her from floating away into cold space. "I just love the view…"
"So do I," Ranma Saotome said, as he held the tether.
Amy looked back and tucked her gown close to her person while displaying her annoyance.
"Do you mind?" Amy said. "I AM a married woman."
"Yes, to MY wife," Ranma said. "But, it's cool…"
Amy squint her eyes in frustration. She didn't exactly dislike Ranma, but was annoyed by his chauvinistic and somewhat sexist outlook. Amy was surprised when she learned that the woman she had met as a child was really a male who was cursed to be a woman, whenever he got wet by cold water and with only hot water to reverse the condition in a non-permanent way…
Meanwhile, the Doctor was going over his "new" TARDIS. Much of it looked like something that Willy Wonka, the eccentric candy-maker, would appreciate, with a touch of 1920s hyper-tech thrown into the mix. He still wasn't sure about all that glass, serving as a raised platform and all…
"Ranma, could you bring Amy back?" the Doctor said. "We're about to arrive at the first place Usagi has been too."
"So the compass is legit?" Ranma said, as he pulls Amy back into the TARDIS.
"Indeed it is, which is amazing considering its simplicity," the Doctor said. He then turns towards Amy.
"If you take a look, you should see our first stop," the Doctor said, as he points downward…
All eyes fall on a space city on top of a half dome.
"Doc," Ranma said. "Is that-?"
"Indeed it is," the Doctor said with a smile.
"What are you two talking about?" Amy asked.
"Back in the 29th century, an entity known as 'The Sun Eater' attacked Earth's sun," the Doctor said. "The entity was nothing more than a cosmic creature, doing what's natural to it."
"Unfortunately, it also meant that trillions of lives were at stake," Ranma said. "We would figure out a way to humanely deal with the creature, but we couldn't take the chance at failing. So, as a precaution, space domes were built over the major cities from around the Sol Star System, including that of London, Belfast and Cardiff. Once all the domes were in place, all of the domed cities teleported to the rendezvous point in Alpha Centauri while the crisis concerning the Sun Eater was taken care of successfully."
Pause.
"However, London, Belfast and Cardiff never made it."
"What happened to those cities?" Amy said.
"Well, up until now, no one knew what happened to it," the Doctor said, as he stares at the floating city. "Apparently, they found a way to pool their resources, and I, for one, am curious about…that."
"Well, for starters," Ranma said, as he tapped his "personal access data device" (PADD). He was tapping directly into the TARDIS' sensors. "The name of the ship is called 'Starship UK'. Its flight trajectory will lead it to an uninhabited part of this sector in a generation."
CHIRP!
"There are habitable planets in that sector."
"Location?"
"Let's see…huh. We are in one of the orbiting dwarf galaxies. That's REALLY far out, yo…"
"What happened to Scotland?" Amy asked.
"The Scots left to be on their own, shortly before the crisis hit Earth at its peak," the Doctor said.
"Figures," Amy said. "So, what's next?"
"Well, we investigate the nature of 'Starship UK'."
"And we'll find my husband, right?"
Ranma grits his teeth. He hated the idea that this…person wanted HIS wife back. But because Amy is a woman, and because of the way Amy got involved with Usagi, he can't really push the issue. It's not like Ranma was against Usagi having a "significant other", but with Amy, the usual rules for extra-marital relations could not be applied…
"Of course," the Doctor said. "And we can get you some clothes while we're at it."
"You mean…you don't have anything here?"
"The TARDIS is still repair itself," Ranma said. "The storage room is still being set up."
"Which means…?"
"Which means that you have to walk around in your sleepwear," Ranma said with a grin.
"Humph."
The Doctor immediately goes to his main screen.
"What are you doing?" Amy asked.
"Doing one last check of the environment," the Doctor said.
"Standard practice around here is to make sure that the environment is safe for 'newbies'."
"I'll have you know that I am an experienced traveler," Amy said.
"Not this," the Doctor said. "Another rule is that we don't get involved with the locals unless it is absolutely necessary."
"Kind of like a nature preserve," Amy said, as she sees a girl crying on a park bench alone. "It must be hard to be so…detached."
Pause.
"So, how can avoid getting emotionally involved, your two-?" Amy said, as she turned to face her new companions, only to see that they were gone.
"Guys?" Amy said, as she turned to face the screen again, only to see that the Doctor was trying to comfort the girl in the view-screen. The girl promptly runs off…
"Um, what?"
The Doctor in the view-screen beckons Amy to go outside the TARDIS.
"Huh?"
"Here," Ranma said, as he tosses to Amy a thin, flip cellphone.
KTCH!
"What's this for?" Amy asked.
"Knowing how these things go, you'll need this to keep in contact with me or with the Doctor."
"Oh, okay," Amy said, as she pockets the cell phone into the pocket of the robe. "So…"
"So let's go," Ranma said, as he escorts Amy outside.
"What about the TARDIS?"
"I'll lock it up," Ranma said. "And, just in case you are wondering, if the Doctor approves, he'll give you a key."
"Oh, well…I wasn't really looking for one, but thanks."
"Don't thank me just yet," Ranma said. "Rarely have anyone on their first outing with the Doctor manages to pass the test."
"What test?"
"You'll know…"
A few minutes later…
"Wow," Amy said. "This place looks like a mishmash of old London and something out of a futuristic noir film."
"Well, like anything, everything that is old is new again," the Doctor said. "Care for some fish and chips?"
"It depends on the fish they use," Amy said, as she made a face. "Okay, we're here. Now what?"
"We get some clues," Ranma said. "You can stay with the Doctor while I scout about."
"I'm not sure," Amy said.
"Why not?"
"What if you find Gino here, first?"
"And what if I did? USAGI is my WIFE."
"Well, GINO is my HUSBAND."
"Well, we'll see about THAT."
"Settle down, you two," the Doctor said. "Amy, you're with me."
"But-"
"It'll be okay," the Doctor said, as he maneuvered Amy to come with her.
"Fine," Amy said, as she looked at Ranma with suspicion.
"And Ranma?"
"Yes?"
"DO be careful," the Doctor said.
"Hey, being careful is my middle name, Doc," Ranma said.
"Ranma, you don't have a middle name."
"Oh, right. You're right. It's 'Mister Awesome'."
"Yeah, by HALF, if you know what I mean."
"Hater…"
As the three moved on to whatever they wanted to do, unknown to them, they were being watched…
Meanwhile, in another part of the ship, a shadowy woman, dressed in an elegant gown, surrounded by drinking glasses filled with water, picks up a handheld intercom.
CHIRP!
"Mr. Morgan, has the Doctor arrived?" said the woman.
An older man, who wore a monk's frock and spectacles, answers the call.
"Yes, mum," Morgan said. "Just as the Moon Princess has promised."
"Good," the woman said. "Soon, the madness that is plaguing us all will be remedied."
"And what do we do with the intruder?" Morgan asked, as he turned to face a shadowy figure. "He was quite insistent on knowing the whereabouts of the Moon Princess."
"Keep him in check for now," the woman said. "Until we verify his identity, I will not have the trust of the Moon Princess in me abused."
"Of course, mum," Morgan said. "I will keep you appraise of the situation."
"Carry on."
CHIRP!
The woman sits still for a long moment. She then fingers a mask that the Moon Princess had given her.
"I shall have to investigate this…Doctor myself," the woman said, as she puts the mask on…
FLASH!
Now, she appeared to look like the Moon Princess.
"I will use this gift to determine the truth of the matter," the woman said, as she gets up from the floor.
Meanwhile, Morgan goes to where his "guest" is strapped.
"I don't know who you are, but you will not be a threat," Morgan said.
Taimu Kyuusaisha tried to move. However, he found that his limbs were like lead weights, as he was trapped in the gurney.
"Don't bother to move," Morgan said, as he circles around Taimu. "You autonomic nerve centers have been…neutralized."
"I told you, I'm not the enemy," Taimu said.
"That remains to be seen, which is why I am here to supervise your interrogation," Morgan said, as he picked up one of Taimu's Keyblades. "But if your answers are not satisfactory, then you will be sent to the Beast Below, and deal with IT."
"…"
Tbc.