Chapter 7: Planet Commerce
After the conversation with River, the Doctor put aside all his doubts and focussed on what he needed to do to change his, and River's futures. Parts of his plan required that he wait until River came to her time in The Library naturally – that he wait for key events that had to happen to happen – but thankfully most of what he intended he could implement whenever he was ready.
He still wasn't sure that he was on the right track. He'd spent too many hours in what passed for the night inside the TARDIS, alone in so complete a way that he found himself wondering if there was anyone else alive but him. Those were the times when he felt like he was in danger of outliving everything that mattered. The times when the idea of rearranging the future to stop just one more heartbreak seemed entirely plausible.
"Right, there are two things we need," he clapped his hands together, not caring that Amy and Rory had no idea what he was talking about. When he got to the stage of needing to go back to The Library he'd leave them at home – he'd try anyway. It would be too dangerous to take them with him, because of the Vashta Nerada and because of what would happen if they caught sight of River, or worse, if she caught sight of them. "A really big hard drive – no, bigger than big, enormous, and a way to shield the TARDIS so that even my own sonic screwdriver can't pick her up."
"I don't suppose you're going to tell us why you need those things," Amy commented.
"Not on your life Pond," the Doctor whizzed past her, fiddling with a couple of dials and then pulling one of the primary levers. "Where would the fun be in that, eh?"
"Isn't that something River would say?" Amy teased.
"Yes, but maybe she learned it from me," the Doctor tapped her nose with a knowing twinkle in his eye as he whizzed past again in the opposite direction. More dials, more fiddling and he pushed up the last lever, sending the ship spinning off into the future.
"Where are we going?" Rory asked.
"Trouble with technology is there's always an upgrade so you never know when you're getting something that's as good as it gets," the Doctor explained, "unless you have access to the time vortex, in which case you can arrive just before the final collapse of the galactic economy, after which there will be no more upgrades." He spun and gave them a winning smile before striding down the steps towards the door. "Plagiarius Ineo, which literally translates as Planet Commerce." Pulling it open he peered outside before ducking his head back in to look at his companions. "So, are you coming?"
"Right behind you," Rory sounded less than enthusiastic. "Shopping," he muttered as he followed his wife. "We're in a blue box that's bigger on the inside than on the outside that travels through time and space, and he wants to go shopping."
"Oh, buck up Rory," the Doctor dismissed, standing outside the TARDIS and eyeing the scenery around them. A market of sorts, busy and noisy and alive – the kind of place that made time travel worth it. "Besides, it's not real shopping – it's the manly pursuit of manly items."
"For you maybe," Rory complained.
The Doctor looked up from the unidentified object he was examining to see Rory pointing to the stalls beyond them. Amy was already engaged in looking at the trinkets there – jewellery and other knick knacks only a woman would see a purpose for.
"Right," the Doctor acknowledged. "Sorry." He wasn't really – in fact he'd counted on Amelia Pond being like most women the worlds over when confronted with the opportunity to shop.
"Rory," Amy yelled, giving him the come here gesture.
With a sigh Rory turned and walked back to his wife.
"We'll meet back at the TARDIS later. Be careful!" the Doctor called out, watching for a few moments until the couple were obscured by the crowd.
Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, he activated it, holding it up as he turned in one direction and then shifted to the opposite one. Glancing at the readings he was getting – faint traces of energy output consistent with his requirements – he headed down an aisle, moving away from where Amy and Rory had gone.
The place was teeming with interesting things to look at; foods from across the galaxy, many of them hardly recognisable as edible; trinkets and gizmos; they all grabbed the Doctor's attention initially. Of course, the thing that interested him the most was the people and it didn't take long for him to notice something odd.
"Where are the men?" he wondered aloud, stopping and turning in a slow circle as he looked around. Many races were represented and you had to know your alien life forms to determine the gender of some of them – if indeed they had a gender at all - but if he wasn't mistaken (and let's face it, when did that ever happen?), he and Rory Williams were in all likelihood the only two males in the marketplace.
"Ignore it," he told himself, giving a female Catkind a half smile half grimace as he walked past. "Probably just a public holiday for men … they're all at home watching football or polishing their trophy collections … nothing to worry about at all."
He'd always been crap at ignoring things – the more he told himself not to notice the more he couldn't help but do so. What he was noticing here had him thinking the men probably weren't on holiday, nice as that sounded. The expressions and the mannerisms as he walked past told their own story – he was either a grim reminder of something lost or a very rare treasure people would kill to acquire if given half the chance. When he saw a familiar looking figure – one of the humanoid Trees of Cheem he changed direction. He'd always liked the trees – still felt remorse over what happened to Jabe. They were honourable and he needed information before he could determine how worried he should be.
"Hello," he smiled, glancing to either side before leaning in just a bit. "I don't suppose you could spare a few minutes for a chat. I'm new here," he smiled again, giving her a hopeful, charming sort of look.
"You risk much coming here, human," the tree person replied.
"Really? What's so risky about here then?" he asked, not correcting her on his true species.
"There is nothing that cannot be bought and sold here," the tree eyes him intently and he shifted uncomfortably. "The rarer the item the larger the profit."
"Any particular rare items?"
"Are you so unaware of what is around you that you have not noticed what is here, and what is not?"
"Well, yes, of course I noticed the lack of maleness," the Doctor acknowledged. "I was hoping today was women's day in the markets – no men allowed and all that." He paused and then grimaced. "I take it from your expression that's not the case."
"It is not," the tree confirmed.
"What happened to all the men then?" the Doctor asked. He didn't actively glance around but he could feel the touch of many eyes upon him – if he were a fox his fir would be raised and he'd be poised for flight, the hunted to the hunters already closing in around him.
"Where have you been that you do not know this?" the tree looked suspicious now.
"Interesting thing, that," the Doctor gestured as he talked. "Because where I come from the division of the sexes is still roughly fifty fifty – well, maybe slightly in favour of the women but only just."
The tree person straightened, looming over him. "That is impossible."
"Not for me," the Doctor replied. "You're at the furthest end of history so you know that anything is possible. I've just popped in for the day – pick up a few things and then pop back to where we belong."
"That may not be possible," the tree warned. "Commerce can only occur under the strictest guidelines. Besides, your presence would have been noted as soon as you set foot on this planet. The Lady Armarium will have already sent her Clerics."
"Clerics," The Doctor winced. "Never been fond of them and I can only imagine they've gotten worse after thousands of years."
"Go then," the tree urged. Putting a hand to his shoulder, she pushed. "Go now!"
The Doctor glanced behind him. People in the aisle shifted aside as if by unspoken command, making way for a troop of twenty women who strode through. They were all purpose and dressed for battle – armed women on some kind of crusade were almost right at the bottom of his 'fun things to do' list.
"Thank you," he told the tree before spinning away and walking hurriedly back the way he'd come. The Clerics followed and it became a game of increasing his pace as he glanced over his shoulder, only to find them still advancing half a street behind.
Pulling out his TARDIS phone as he walked, he contacted Amy and Rory.
"Doctor," Amy sounded breathless as she answered. Breathless and anxious.
"Is Rory with you?" the Doctor demanded.
"Yes," Amy replied, "but we're being chased! There aren't any men here – how could you bring us to a place without any men?!"
"I didn't know there weren't any men," the Doctor shot back, increasing his speed. "They forgot to mention it in the brochures. Are you safe for now?"
"We will be once we make it back to the TARDIS."
"No!" The Doctor shouted. "You need to find a place to hide Amy, you and Rory, until I tell you it's safe to come out."
"What's happened?" Amy demanded in a sharp tone. "Doctor, where are you? Are you okay?"
"I'm on my way to the TARDIS too, and not exactly," he replied. "I think I'm about to be carted off for an audience with the person in charge around here."
"Why do th-," Amy's voice cut off abruptly.
"Amy, is everything all right?" the Doctor stood, listening intently, eyes narrowed. "Amy?"
"Soldiers," Amy whispered a few tense moments later. "I think they're searching for us."
"Stay down," the Doctor ordered, straightening as though preparing to do something, even though his options were limited.
"It's okay, they've gone past," Amy said in a normal voice.
"Are you safe?" he asked intently.
"We found a basement," Amy revealed. "Rory jimmied open the window and we managed to crawl inside. It looks pretty deserted – I don't think they'll come looking for us here."
"Good, that's good."
"What are you going to do?" Amy asked.
"What I came here for," the Doctor replied, "and before you ask, no I can't go elsewhere. This is when the technology exists and Ineo is the last remaining free market establishment from which to acquire it. Everything else is underground black market – believe me when I say you do not want to meet the people in charge of that!"
"I don't understand why this is so important," Amy protested.
"I know, and I can't explain it to you," the Doctor apologised. "You can help me Amy, by keeping yourself and Rory out of trouble until I tell you it's safe to return. Can you do that for me, please?"
"You'll be okay?" Amy asked.
"Of course – I'm always okay," he said confidently. He glanced over his shoulder again – the Clerics were gaining on him and there was no way he was making it all the way to the TARDIS.
"All right – we'll stay here, but don't take too long, or else we'll be forced to come looking for you," Amy warned.
"Change of plans," he announced. "Stay put for at least half an hour and then make your way back to the TARDIS. I'll return when I can – under no circumstances are you and Rory to leave the TARDIS, do you understand?" He put on his sternest voice, even though deep down he knew it was probably pointless. If he didn't get back to them quickly enough Amy would take matters into her own hands, with Rory aiding and abetting. "Just … be careful, okay," he added in a gentler tone.
"You be careful," Amy shot back.
"Ah Pond, when will you tire of insisting on behaviour you know I can't possibly live up to," the Doctor teased, cutting off the connection before she could reply.
Changing directions in an unpredictable fashion he led the Clerics away from the TARDIS, away from Amy and Rory. Once he'd gotten far enough – as far as he was going to with the Clerics now in shouting distance, he halted. Time for the direct approach, he thought, turning and giving his pursuers a charming smile.
"Hello," he began. "I must say it's quite flattering having a troop of lovely soldiers on my tail, but I have to admit to being curious. Why is it you're following me?"
"Your presence is requested by the Lady Armarium. Please come with us immediately."
"Ordinarily I'd love to meet your Lady – nothing better than having a good old chat with the nobility – but unfortunately I just can't spare the time today," the Doctor replied. "Way too much to do, sorry. You know how it is. Perhaps another day."
"No excuses are permitted when the Lady commands. If you do not accompany us voluntarily we will are required to bring you by force."
"I'm sure that force won't be necessary," the Doctor held out his hands in a casual, I'm not a threat manner.
"Come!"
The command was obvious. With a sigh the Doctor dropped his hands and did what they asked.
