The Tardis soared across a bizarre sight, a city in the sky.
It literally seemed to be held up by the clouds but closer inspection entailed that it hovered from propulsion machines of impressive caliber. The strangest thing was that this was Earth, the year 1912. City built on impossible science that floated like a palace in the sky, it was dream come true for any time traveler.
Unfortunately his wish to explore it was reciprocated by a shadowy force as the Tardis lost control of its gravity controls and spiraled down into the city streets.
The Doctor managed to gracefully land the device. unsure of what he was going to face, the Doctor made the sonic screwdriver come out of the door first. He heard laughter outside the Tardis. This made him curious as he stuck his head out and gazed at citizens giddily applauding him as though his crash landing had been some form of spectacle out of a circus.
Not wishing to risk suspicion, the Doctor played along as he stepped out of the Tardis and bowed to respective audience.
"Thank you, thank you," the Doctor said. "I'm the Doctor, I travel a bit using my Tardis here."
"Can you show us?" A young boy asked.
This caused the crowd to cheer the Doctor on. It was an odd thing for the Doctor to be the subject of so much positive energy. Something in the back of his mind told him this was too good to be true. But he decided to enjoy it as much as he could and decided to satisfy the boy's wish.
However, the Tardis was locked shut.
That was the first real warning that things were bad, the Tardis was preventing people from coming inside. He could have used the key, but decided not to until he discerned what matter of threat would scare the Tardis to take such desperate measures.
"It seems my ship has a problem," the Doctor said with a casual shrug. "Anyone know of a person who might be helpful?"
The answer was almost unanimous.
"THE PROPHET, THE PROPHET COMSTOCK!"
"Brilliant," the Doctor said as he rubbed his ears from the shouting. "Know where I can find him?"
"He'll be hosting a meeting this afternoon. In front of the statue of the Child. You can see it from here."
The Doctor followed the man's finger and saw a marvelous statue. It was an angel but unlike the usual breed the Doctor deals with, this was a genuine beauty. That little itch that struck the Doctor and usually got him in the middle of all kinds of trouble was going crazy.
Things were going to get interesting.
"All right, let's all go meet the Prophet." The Doctor said as he raised his hands excitedly.
The crowd cheered and guided him through the town. He maintained his pleasant smile while his eyes scanned the area. Segregation was strong in all the wrong ways. Black men and women reduced to servitude or worse, treated like less than human. It made both of the Doctor's hearts ache to see such a sight. Nothing justified such treatment, ever.
This place was starting to get less pleasant with each passing second.
Fortunately, it seemed like he wouldn't need to stay for long.
The Prophet in all his bearded glory stood on a podium before a sea of people while a band played in the background. It had the zeal of a religious ceremony. Especially with Comstock's booming voice.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, it warms my heart to see so many of Columbia's finest come out to show their support. I know it has been a hard road, the journey towards paradise, so many struggles, but I am proud to state that very soon the wait will soon be over. Behind me, the Child is almost ready to achieve our final salvation!"
The crowd cheered.
The Doctor narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the statue. He pulled out his screwdriver and took a quick scan. The dings that came proved to him that the energy disturbance that disturbed the Tardis was housed within. He only realized that all eyes were on him when the music stopped.
"I have not seen your face, stranger," Comstock said with a stern tone. "Strangers are a rare and dangerous thing for our community."
Already the animosity was boiling around the Doctor. This was not a pleasant community, it was an angry mob designed to pieces anything deemed a threat by the probably all-knowing prophet. The Doctor needed to mount a defense to at least secure his status as a non-threat.
At the very least, it might help him achieve some running distance.
"So sorry to trouble you, Prophet Comstock," the Doctor said quickly. "I'm the Doctor, a great doctor in fact. I was called in to take a look at your salvation, the child within the statue."
"I gave no such decree." Comstock said. "In fact I have a half a mind to believe you're in league with the False Shepard!"
That made the crowd jump back as though the Doctor were diseased.
This was troubling, very troubling. The worst fact was that the Doctor knew so little about this land to mount a proper defense.
That was when his ears heard something whiz by his head.
A bullet struck the podium.
"COMSTOCK!"
A man was charging at the crowd, guns blazing, causing the angry mob to shriek and hide for cover. Comstock dodged the bullet fire as several armed men and women formed up on the Prophet, creating a shield that prevented any further damage from being suffered on their holy figure.
The Doctor concluded that the mad man with the guns was this False Shepard but the look in his eyes defined a man struck by a guilt, a once noble warrior who had been given a noble cause. Considering the company he had around him, the Doctor decided to take his chances.
The guards were preparing to retaliate.
The Doctor wished to avoid violence and chose to do things his way.
"Covers your ears!" the Doctor shouted to the False Shepard before aiming his sonic screwdriver at the podium. This caused a horrific shriek to come from the speakers which made everyone's ears ring. The False Shepard had heeded the Doctor's advice as he stampeded forward with his ears covered by his hands. The Doctor ran alongside him as they ascended the stairs and rushed inside the statue.
"Stop them!" Comstock screamed. "They must not reach her!"
The crowd came to life as they started to come up the stairs. The Doctor spun about, ready to face the mob. With a wide grin, the Doctor immediately pointed his screwdriver at the electric console he had noticed with his keen eyes as he ran up the stairs. Several metal gates rattled shut in front of the Doctor.
His actions impeded the mob and short circuited the console, no one would be getting through this way. He could see the rifles of the guards come into view. Bullets definitely had the advantage. The Doctor spun around and caught up with the False Shepard just as bullets started to fly by.
The False Shepard and the Doctor rounded a corner and were safe, for now.
"That was quite the trick back there." The False Shepard said.
"You're welcome." The Doctor said. "Now I'm the Doctor and I am led to believe you are the False Shepard?"
"Yeah, that's what these nuts keep calling me," the man said with a sigh. "My real name is Booker, Booker DeWitt."
"Well, Booker, care to explain what's going on here?"
The man actually found it surprising that he had a moment to simply talk. It was clear to the Doctor that this man had probably been fighting for his life for most of his time here.
"Well you saw a bit of it yourself, Doc," Booker said. "Comstock's made himself out to be some kind of god to these idiots. I've been hearing talk of fire raining down from the sky. Which leads me to believe that there's going to be some kind of war and trust me, with the kind of artillery they have up here, it ain't going to be pretty."
"And where does this 'Child of the Prophet" come into play."
"Elizabeth," Booker said sternly. "Her name is Elizabeth… and it's my fault she's stuck in this statue again."
"A woman," the Doctor said. "What matter of a woman could help create so much devastation?"
"If we manage to get up there, you'll find out for yourself."
"Just one thing I can't put my finger on," the Doctor said. "Judging by your stature, I'd assume you're a retired soldier. But you clearly come from the ground, your head for all its troubles is not full of the hot air these idiots have been breathing. Where's your place in this game."
Booker grimaced as he told the Doctor his story.
"I got in deep with bad people and the only way to clear my debt is to get Elizabeth to New York City. She found out and broke away from me, right into their clutches again."
"You planned on handing a poor girl from one oppressor to another." The Doctor concluded coldly.
"Hey, I didn't… yeah… I guess that is the best of putting just how much of a bastard I am."
"Indeed."
"But it's different now," Booker said as he looked up. "Elizabeth has been stuck up there, being sculpted to be a weapon. Never being allowed to really live. I may be damned, Doc, but I can at least make sure she stays pure. Even if I have to die to give her that chance, I'll do it, no questions asked."
The Doctor looked at the grim man. Redemption was a motivation he knew all too well. It was what helped him to make a decision that saved his planet when he initially burned it. Everyone deserves a chance at redemption.
"While I may not admire your initial reasons or your actions, I have to respect a man willing to do what's right in the end. And I'm no fan to people being used against their will. Count on my help, Mr. DeWitt, at least until we help Elizabeth be free from her oppressive tower."
It seemed in the Doctor's mind, angels would always leads to disaster for him and all those he cared about.
Booker sighed but looked at the Doctor with a relieved look in his eyes.
"I'm not complaining about having an extra pair of hands, Doc," Booker said. "But you're armed with nothing but that weird ringing thing. I'm not sure how you can actually help."
The Doctor grinned as he his brilliantly clever mind began to concentrate on the task at hand, a very dangerous proposition for anyone who was his enemy at the moment.
"You'll found out soon enough, Mr. DeWitt. This is going to be fun."
Booker looked at the strange man and couldn't help smiling back. This Doctor seemed to have something that might change his luck and hopefully Elizabeth's fate. Together, the two men, one of violence and one of peace, went to save the day.