So...(shuffles feet)...I'm alive. I can't believe it has been over a year. Well, that's embarrassing. I can't believe time has just slipped away like that. Hehe. Awkward. But I'm alive and my interest has arrived again for this story. Which is wonderful for my imagination.
Disclaimer: Not Mine. Not Now. Now Ever.
"So..." I looked at both of them, "Are we going to have a look around then?" I asked, with a smile, "Seeing as the world's apparently going to end quite soon," I still couldn't quite believe it. We were on space ship that was above the Earth, on the day that the Sun planned to expand and roast everything down below.
"Come on," the Doctor gestured to us, "This way,"
We crossed to the door, opening the door and walking through into a long, narrow corridor, "Shuttles Five and Six are now docking," the intercom spoke over the loudspeakers, "Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for 15:39, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite," I had to retrained myself from laughing at the speaker. It all seemed so ludicrous, and yet it was completely sincere in its tone of voice.
"Cheerful bunch, aren't they?" I said as we walked down the long stretch of corridor, all made up of the same wooden panels as the room, before I stopped and looked at the Doctor, "But when it means guests, it means people, right?" I needed clarification.
"Depends on what you mean by people," the Doctor said to me,
"She means people," Rose told him, "What do you mean?"
He smiled, "Aliens," I blinked slightly and then followed him again. I suppose it wasn't much of a stretch to think that far ahead. But remembered the Nestene and how that had ended up going disastrously wrong. If there were going to be aliens on this ship then I hoped that they would be nicer ones than the Nestene.
He arrived at another door. Rose leant on the door next to him, "But what are they doing on board this spaceship? What's it all for?"
He scanned the door, "It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck," he nodded, "For where the great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn," I felt uneasy at that. Despite everything, the Earth was still my home; I had grown up on that place. My mother lived there, five billion years ago, and I was expected to allow it to go up in flames? I didn't think so.
"What for?" she asked,
"Fun," he said,
I frowned again, "But they can't do that," I inquired, "Can they?" he looked at me, and I felt a slight panic invade me, "Ok, maybe they can."
The door opened into a huge atrium which a large glass window was stationed at the end. There were Roman pots and glass cases around the room, and I looked up to see more glass. If that smashed, then we'd be in trouble, "Mind you," the Doctor said and I looked at him, "When I say the 'great and the good', what I mean is the rich,"
I raised a hand as we went towards the glass window, "When you say the Earth is going to explode. I know about this, it takes centuries to even get the Sun to expand enough to burn the Earth. So how is it going to do that in," I checked my watch, "Thirty five minutes? It's impossible,"
"It takes millions," the Doctor agreed, "But the planet's now belong to the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved,"
"Seriously?" I asked, before looking back at the planet down below us, "They've finally achieved their main mission in life then. Ownership of the earth,"
"Yeah," he said, and then pointed into the distance, "See down there, gravity satellites holding back the Sun,"
Rose frowned as well, "The planet looks the same as ever. I thought all the continents shifted," she gestured with her hands,
He nodded, "They did," he informed us, "And the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth," he sighed, "But now the money's run out, nature takes over," he seemed very happy at this point, which worried me immensely.
"And it's got half an hour," I added stressing the point.
"Yep," he said, "Then the planet gets roasted," he smiled happily.
Rose looked at him, "Is that why we're here?" she asked, wanting to know what he was up to, flying us here of all places, "I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?"
He looked at her carefully, "I'm not saving it, times up," he informed us,
"But," I hastened to add in my comment, "There are people down there. The Earth has to have some kind of population,"
"No," he shook his head, "It's empty. They've all gone. No one left," he still seemed very happy.
Rose looked back at the Earth, "Just us then," she said, and I returned to look at the earth, feeling suddenly very alone. The two human left on a spaceship that was miles above our planet and having no way of saving it from nature's course.
"Who the hell are you?" asked a voice behind us and we all whirled around and I blinked at the sight of a blue man dressed in some very interesting clothes. Not that I had anything against blue men in strange clothes. But he was blue,
"Oh that's nice," the Doctor said sarcastically, "Thanks,"
"But how did you get in?" the man asked, striding towards us with something in his hand, "This is a maximum hospitality zone, the guests have already disembarked. They're on their way any second," he sounded panicked at the sight of us. I shifted from foot to foot. We weren't guests on this ship...thing, how on earth were we going to explain this to the man. I was fairly sure the Doctor didn't have a ticket.
The Doctor held up a wallet where a blank paper stared up at us, "Yeah, that's me, I'm a guest," he answered, waving it around at the man, "Look, got an invitation. Look there, you see, it's fine," I stared at the paper, seeing that it was totally blank, "See? The Doctor, plus two. I'm the Doctor; this is Rose and Mary-Anne Tyler. They're my plus two. Is that all right?"
The man looked blankly at us, clearly taken aback, "Well, obviously," he finally said, "Apologies, etcetera," the Doctor nodded, smartly, "If you're on board, then we'd better start," he smiled at us slightly, "Enjoy," he walked away to a stand that was stationed by the door.
"Let me have a look at that," I asked the Doctor and he showed it to me, "It's blank," I answered in surprise, staring at it and touching the paper slightly, "Why did he think that it was an invitation, if it's blank?" I couldn't understand it,"
"The paper's slightly psychic," the Doctor explained, "It shows them whatever I want them to see," he closed it and placed it back in his pocket, "Saves a lot of time trying to explain to people why we're here. We'd be kicked off otherwise. Saves paper as well,"
"He's blue," said Rose, and I looked at her, not really understanding what she was talking about. Then I looked at the Steward again. He was blue, but that wasn't anything to stare at, "Ok," she let out a breath, nothing slightly. I shot a smile at her which appeared to reassure her.
"We have in attendance the Doctor, and Rose and Mary-Anne Tyler. Thank you. All staff to their positions," a bunch of blue children with heavy black helmets came scuttling out of nowhere, "Hurry now, quick as you can. Come along, come along," most of them disappeared down the hallway with two saying by the door, "And now might I introduce the next honoured guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam we have trees, namely Jade, Lute and Coffa," the door opened on three people which looked like trees. Their hair was like bark with flowers twined in-between, "There will be an exchange of gifts, representing peace," the man said, "And if you could keep the room circulated, thank you," the trees walked towards us, "Next from the solicitors: Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon," a small man in a chair with rather nasty teeth appeared, "From the Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Mean,"
A cluster of people with black hood over their faces appeared, "They look like you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of them," I muttered to Rose and she looked sharply at me.
"Next," the man said, "The inventors of the Hypo-Slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen...Cal Spark Plug," a range of aliens appeared through the doors of the observation deck, "Mr and Mrs Pacoon...the ambassadors from the city state of Binding Light,"
The trees stopped in front of us and the woman called Jade smiled at us, "The gift of peace," she said, picking up a plant, "A cutting of my Grandfather," she handed it to the Doctor. I looked at it carefully, it was just a usual plant. But it was a part of someone.
"Thank you," the Doctor replied, "Yes. Gifts," he patted himself hurriedly, "Err, I give you in return, air from my lungs," he blew a stream of air towards her and I felt faintly amused.
She breathed in, "How...intimate," she said, and I mentally snorted. Who knew trees could be so...flirtatious.
He grinned, "There's more where that came from," he quipped,
"I bet there is," she replied and smiled as they moved on. The Doctor handed me the plant and I looked at it carefully. It just looked like a twig to me, but if it was someone's grandfather. I cradled it slightly.
The man on the stand started up again, "From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe," the doors opened again and a large glass case rumbled through with a gianormous head in it. I just blinked, I didn't think commenting would really help the situation.
The Moxx of Balhoon trundled up to us in his vehicle, "The Moxx of Balhoon," the Doctor said, spreading his coat wide.
"My felicitations upon this historical happenstance," he said in a high pitched voice, surprising me, "I bring you the gift of bodily saliva," he spat and Rose flinched as the spit went in her eye,
"Thank you very much," the Doctor grinned,
I held out a tissue to Rose, "Want it?" I asked, and she just snatched it from me quickly, wiping her eye. I tried not to smile.
The Mean people walked up to us, "Ahh the Adherents of the Repeated Mean," the Doctor said, "I bring you, air from my lungs," he exhaled harshly, trying to get all of them in.
A silver knarled hand rose up to us, holding a silver ball, "A gift of peace, in all good faith," they spoke together in a deep voice. I shivered slightly, they were creepy. The Doctor took the silver ball, throwing it to me. I caught it and looked at it, just a ball. Nice.
"And now," the man spoke up, "Last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen and trees and multiforms...consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying planet, we call forth the last human," the doors opened and I craned to see, "The Lady Cassandra O'Brien. Delta Seventeen," a frame came out and I stared at the stretched skin that seemed to have eyes and a mouth. That was the last human?
"Oh now," the trampoline said, "Don't stare. I know, I know, it's shocking, isn't it?" I wondered how she could talk. I could see straight through her! "I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference," the Doctor laughed, and I stared at him, "Look how thin I am, thin and dainty," I suppressed the urge to say that she couldn't walk, "I don't look a day over two thousand," I really was going a little bit mad, "Moisture me, moisture me," the two men on either side of her sprayed her with nozzles, "Truly I am the last human," Rose wandered around, looking at Cassandra. She looked like she was having the same trouble as I was, "My father was a Texan, my mother from the Arctic Circle. They were born on the Earth and they were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honour them and to say goodbye,"
"Laying it a bit thick," I muttered to myself, and the Doctor looked at me sharply, "Doesn't matter," I smiled tightly and went back to staring at Cassandra,
"No tears," she looked like she was tearing up, "No tears, I'm sorry," one of the men standing next to her dabbed at her eyes, "But behold," she said, "I bring gifts," a small blue child came out holding an egg, "From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend has it that it had a wing span of fifty feet, and blew fire from its nostrils," I slightly laughed at that, "Or was that my third husband? No don't laugh, I'll get laughter lines," another thing was dragged out and I smiled at the jukebox, "And here, another rarity. According to the archives, this was called an I-Pod. It stores classical music from humanities greatest composers. Play on!" a CD was played and the Doctor laughed as Tainted Love started playing.
"Refreshments are now served," said the Steward man, "Earth death in thirty minutes,"
I frowned as I watched Rose get more uncomfortable in the room with everyone in it. I felt slightly the same with everything being all a bit claustrophobic. I quickly walked over to her and dragged her out of the room, where she was feeling a little uncomfortable, "Thanks," she whispered,
"Come on," I said, "Go get some air," I smiled at her, "I'm going back in, I want to have a little more of a look around the place,"
She merely nodded and I smiled as I walked back inside, "Is Rose all right?" the Doctor asked me,
I shrugged, "She needs some air," I said to her, "It's a little bit of a culture shock to her I think. She just needs a couple of minutes, I'm sure she will be fine,"
He studied me, "What about you?" he asked me, "How are you handling it?"
"Fine," I said quickly, and he blinked, "Ok, maybe not fine, exactly. It's rather a lot to handle to be perfectly honest and in such a short space of time. Especially with the trampoline over there. It's a lot at once, but I'll be fine,"
"Sure?" he asked,
"Oh yeah," I nodded, not sure if I was trying to convince myself or him, "Cause it's brilliant, everything here. Really shows you how and what the world will come to in a few billion years. I mean, I'm dead now, but it's all right," I shrugged, "Should we find Rose now?"
"Good point," he said and we headed towards the door again.
"Doctor," Jade approached us and we turned towards her. There was a flash and a couple of beeps, "Thank you," The Doctor merely nodded and we headed out of the room and into the corridor.
"Would the owner of the blue box in Private Gallery Five please report to the Steward's office immediately?" the Steward came on the P.A. system, "All guests are reminded that the use of teleportation devices are strictly forbidden,"
"Are you going to go?" I asked him,
"No," he said, and we rounded a corner where the small children were moving the TARDIS, "Oi now, careful with that, park it properly, no scratches," a small blue children walked up to us and handed the Doctor a ticket. I looked at it, 'Have a Nice Day'
"Well they're polite," I said, and we walked along the corridor. I knocked on a door, "Rose, are you in there?" I looked at the Doctor, "Try your screwdriver," he buzzed it and the door opened, "There you are," I went to sit down next to her and smiled at her slightly.
"Aye, aye," the Doctor sat on the other side of the ledge, "What do you think then?" he asked her,
"Great," she said, it was a little forced, "Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper," he laughed and we lapsed into silence, which was quickly growing awkward with every second. "They're just so alien," she clarified, "The aliens are so alien. You look at them, and they're alien," she couldn't wrap her head around that fact.
The Doctor didn't look that impressed, "Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South," he quipped,
She leaned back, "Where are you from then?" she asked him, and I knew that was probably the wrong thing to ask him at this moment in time. A shadow had passed over his face and he wasn't meeting either one of us' eyes.
"All over the place," he excused, and I could tell that he was covering up something.
I had to get a point across, "They all speak English," I told him, "In five billion years, wouldn't English have become defunct. It can't have stayed the same for all this time. At the very least there should have been a type of dialect and I refuse to believe that English has become the universal language. All those different people, different species. They can't all talk the same language.
"No," he shook his head, "You just hear English. It's a gift of the TARDIS; the telepathic field gets inside your brain and translates it for you,"
Rose held up a finger, freezing at the sound of that information, "It's inside our brains?" she asked,
"Well in a good way," he said,
"Your machine gets inside our head and changes our minds and you didn't even ask?" she said,
"Rose, it's all right," I said to her,
"I didn't think about it like that," he said,
"Nah, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South," she snapped violently, the wall finally breaking down and she had to get her point across. Something had happened, when she had disappeared off and she seemed to have only just realised that we had known the Doctor for the total of three days. She was panicking at this, "Who are you then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?"
"I'm just the Doctor," he dismissed, clearly not wanting to talk about it.
"From what planet?" she asked, her voice growing
He scoffed, "Well it's not like you'll know where it was,"
"Where are you from?"
"What does it matter?"
"Tell us who you are!" she shouted
The Doctor's patience snapped, "This is who I am, right here; right now. All that counts is here and now and this is me!" he shouted back at her and I ran my hands through my hair, not wanting to get into this conversation. I seemed to be the third wheel, not really adding anything to the conversation but not exactly out of it either.
"Yeah and we're here too because you brought us here. So just tell us!" she snapped.
This was now getting awkward.
