Nightmare in Silver- Part 1

"You want to… what?" The Doctor asked Clara sharply. Clara didn't even get onto the Tardis properly before asking her question, stopping on the ramp which connected the door to the main Tardis console area. I stayed on the main area.

When The Doctor and I went to go pick Clara up the next Wednesday, Clara had told us that the kids she was in charge of had figured out she was a time traveler based on photos they had found of her on the internet.

"It's only one trip." Clara said pleadingly, "Angie said she would tell Mr. Maitland that I was a time traveler if I don't take them on a trip."

"Aren't they a little too young for blackmail?" I asked Clara, frowning. I knew that if The Doctor was going to take kids on a trip, it wasn't going to turn out good. I really didn't feel like babysitting. "I really think this isn't a good idea."

"Do you want everyone to know about time travel? I mean, they already have knowledge on aliens. I think time travel would push people over the edge, knowing that history can be rewritten in a moment's notice." Clara argued, glancing at me with a glare, then looked quickly back at The Doctor.

The Doctor was silent for a couple moments, thinking Clara's argument through. I thought it was a horrible idea, bringing children on the Tardis, especially since our adventures turn out to be… life threatening most of the time. But it was The Doctor decision to who comes and goes on his Tardis.

"Fine." The Doctor said.

Clara squealed so loud that I winced, "Thank you, thank you thank you!" Clara quickly stepped forward and hugged The Doctor. She glared at me from over The Doctor's shoulders and I glared back. I was not going to like this.

The Doctor, Clara, Angie, Artie and I looked out of the Tardis door onto Hedgewick's World. I had put on a bright face for the kids, but I had a sickening feeling something bad was going to happen. The area that I was looking at looked like Earth's moon's surface, including a U.S. flag that was straight and not moving at all.

"Well, here we are. Hedgewick's World. The biggest and best amusement park there will ever be, and we've got a golden ticket. Eh? Eh? Fun." The Doctor asked.

"Fun?" Clara asked The Doctor.

Angie snorted, "You're stupid box can't even get us to the right place. This is like a moon base or something."

The Doctor sighed, "It's not the moon."

Artie put on a thoughtful face that I knew was fake, "Actually, I think it does look like the moon, only dirtier."

"Hey. Guys. It's not the moon, okay? It's a Spacey Zoomer ride, or it was."

A door opens in one of the large rocks, and a man wearing a tall hat looks out. "Psst. Excuse I. I don't suppose you happen to be my lift off planet? Dave's Discount Interstellar Removals?"

"Afraid not." Clara said.

The man sighed, "They were meant to be here six months ago. Well, that's Dave for you, see? Unreliable."

A woman's voice cuts through the air. "Stay where you are!"

"Oops." The man ducked back inside as a group of what looked like military, ran in.

"Throw down your weapons and identify yourselves." The woman was clearly the Captain. We all put our hands up. Oh I knew something was going to happen.

"No. No weapons. Golden ticket. Spacey Zoomer. Free ice cream?" The Doctor asked, talking fast.

The Captain pointed her gun at him, "Who are you? This planet is closed, by Imperial order."

The Doctor takes out his psychic paper, "How's this?"

The Captain gave a hand signal and her troupe put away their guns. "Oh. Welcome, Proconsul. I wish they'd told us you were coming. Any news of the Emperor?"

The Doctor looked like a deer caught in headlights, "Oh, the Emperor. No, no. None that you'd er-"

"We pray for his return. If there is anything you need, my platoon is at your service."

"Right. Righty-o. Well, carry on, Captain." The Doctor said, using his command tone.

"Platoon, let's move out! On the double. Two, three, four. Two, three, four. Two, three, four." The military ran off, their Captain leading them away.

The man from earlier pokes his head out again. "Have they gone?"

"Yes." The Doctor agreed.

"Uniforms give me the heebie-jeebies. Come on. They can't stop me being here, but they don't like it." He leads them away from the Zoomer for a view of the whole amusement park.

"Ha, ha! You see? I told you it was amazing. Well, it used to be." The Doctor said frowning at the sight of the wrecked mega-scenic roller coaster and other rides. Grass is growing in the cracks in the concrete.

"It closed down. Wish I'd known that before I landed here. But let me show you my collection. Come along. Follow me. This way. This way in, come on."

We walked down some steps into a comfortably furnished room with lots of waxworks on display, all lit by chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. "Welcome to my show. Webley's World of Wonders. Miracles, marvels and more await you. I am Impresario Webley. You see before you waxwork representations of the famous and the infamous. Anybody here play chess?" Webley asked. The Doctor puts his hand up. "Perhaps you, young man?" Webley said, looking at Artie.

"Actually, I'm in my school chess club."

Webley smiled, "Ah. Follow me."

"Now, let demonstrate to you all the wonder of the age, the miracle of modernity." Webley said once we were all in the chess room. Sitting by the chessboard is something covered in a satin cloth, "We defeated them all a thousand years ago, but now he's back, to destroy you. Behold, the enemy!" Webley whips the cloth off a slightly tarnished silver coloured robot, which raises its head.

"Cyberman! Get down!" The Doctor yelled dropping to the floor, causing Clara, Angie, Artie to hide behind furniture to get out of it's sight.

Webley chuckled, "No need to panic, my young friends. We all know there are no more living Cybermen. What you are seeing is a miracle." The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver, "The six hundred and ninety ninth wonder of the universe, as displayed before the Imperial court, and only here to destroy you at chess." The Doctor continued to scan.

"Careful now. An empty shell, and yet it moves. How?" Webley asked.

"Magic." Angie replied.

"That might well be, young lady, but a single penny wins you five Imperial shillings-"Two tiny slim metallic bugs with a flashing blue eye are watching from a waxwork Blowfish head. Something is using them to watch the scene, "If you can beat this empty shell at chess."

"I haven't got a penny, but I've got a sandwich." Artie said.

Webley shrugged, "Alright, take a seat. It is free of all devices, and yet it has never been beaten. Would you like to make the first move, young man?"

Artie moves his King's Bishop's pawn one space. The Cyberman counters by moving its King's pawn two spaces. "Oh no, Artie. No, don't do that, it-" The Doctor started. Artie advances his King's Knight's pawn two spaces. Up comes the Black Queen to end the game, "That's a fool's mate." The Doctor said.

"If you can tell me how it works, I'll give you a silver penny." Webley said.

"I think you do it with mirrors?" Angie guessed.

"Hmm. Mirrors. Clever girl." The Doctor said, "Well, let's see, hey? Low tech. It's a puppet. Monofilament strings, which means the brains are in-" The Doctor opens a door in the Cyberman's chair to reveal a little man with a control box.

"Hello." The short man says.

"Hello." The Doctor replied.

"I'm the brains."

"Hello." The Doctor repeated.

"Give us a hand." The Doctor helps the man out of the small space.

"They call me Porridge. Oh, it's good to be out of that box."

"For you, Miss, an Imperial penny." Which Webley apparently produces from Angie's ear. The Doctor notices a small swarm of tiny metal bugs slithering across the floor.

Back in Weebly's room Angie and Artie are looking around, "I have not one but three Cybermen in my collection." Weebly said. The exhibit is labelled The Great Enemy. The Doctor checks that they are inert.

Angie looks at another waxwork, a tall man with a familiar face. "Is that the King?" Angie asked.

"Emperor." Porridge replied, "Ludens Nimrod Kendrick, etc, etc, the forty first. Defender of Humanity, Imperator of known space."

"He looks a bit full of himself." Clara mused, staring at the painting.

"Don't say things like that about the Imperial family. You can end up on the run for the rest of your life." Porridge responded.

Artie frowned, "They don't sound very nice."

"Go on. If the kids want to ride the Spacey Zoomer, then I can operate the gravity console." Porridge said. Angie compares the image on the coin to the waxwork.

"Angie!" Artie says, trying to get his sister's attention so that they could go on the ride.

Artie raced ahead of us on the way out and I fell back with Angie, "You okay?" I asked, noticing how she didn't seem to be excited about beinging on another planet.

Angie glanced up at me, "Yeah. Fine."

I frowned slightly, "Could I see that coin for a moment?" I asked. Angie handed it over to me. I looked at it and glanced back at the emperor's waxwork before we exited the room. I handed it back to Angie as we walked outside, "Something's not adding up. That waxwork and coin match. Why does Porridge seem to resemble the missing emperor?" I whispered to her, "Wanna help me figure it out?"

Angie looked at me, then at the coin and back at me, then smiled, the spark of adventure lit in her eyes, "Yeah."

Artie and Angie enjoy flying around in microgravity. Clara takes photographs with her phone,

"Wow!" Artie exclaimed.

"Smile!" Clara says, taking photos, "Say, Spacey Zoomer." I rolled my eyes.

"Look at us, Doctor. We're flying!" Artie yells.

"Having a good time?" The Doctor asked.

Porridge turns off the anti-gravity, "I think that was the most fun I've had in my whole life." Artie says, a big smile on his face.

"It was," Angie paused, "okay."

"Clara, I think outer space is actually very interesting." Artie says.

"Right. Wonderful day out, Doctor, but time to get the kids home." Clara said.

The Doctor is scanning with the sonic screwdriver, "Yeah. Er, no. Not actually ready to leave."

"Why not?" Clara asked, stepping forward.

"I don't know. Reasons."

"What reasons?" Clara asked, putting her hands on her hips.

The Doctor shrugged, "Insects. Funny insects. I should add them to my funny insect collection."

"You collect funny insects?" I asked.

The Doctor looked at me, "Yeah, I'm starting to, right now."

It was past bedtime for Angie and Artie, so they are lying on the sofas, ready to sleep. "How long do we have to stay here?" Angie asked.

"Not long. Have a nap. I'll wake you when we're ready to leave." The Doctor said.

"Comfy?" Porridge asked.

"Sleep well." Clara said, looking to Artie then to Angie.

"Good night." Porridge says. The Doctor turns the lights out as he leaves. Clara and Porridge followed. I sat down in a chair to watch the kids. Even I knew to never leave kids alone on an alien world for their first time out.

"Don't wander off. Now, I'm not just saying don't wander off, I mean it. Otherwise you'll wander off and the next thing you know, somebody's going to have to start rescuing somebody." The Doctor said from the doors.

Angie frowned, "From what?"

"Nothing. Nobody needs rescuing from anything. Don't wander off. Sweet dreams." The Doctor said and left the room.

Angie and Artie kept on talking, not going to sleep, "Just try to go to sleep guys." I said. They ignored me.

"I hate the future. It's stupid. There's not even phone service." Angie said, trying to check her phone. It didn't work so she threw it, not bothering to pick it back up, "I'm out of here."

My eyes widened and I stood up, "Angie, you shouldn't run off."

Artie agreed with me, "The Doctor said not to wander off."

Angie rolled her eyes, "He said that, and then he wandered off."

"I don't think Clara would like that." Artie retorted.

"She's not our mum." Angie shot back and took off.

"Don't leave me here" Artie pleaded. No answer from Angie.

I sighed. "She was never going to listen to me, was she?" I asked Artie.

"Are you going to go after her?" Artie asked.

"No." I said, "I'm not leaving you here on your own. I've never been on this world before and trips with The Doctor usually end up with us running for our lives. I'm not leaving kids alone. The Doctor should be right outside."

"Running for your lives?" Artie asked, his eyes wide, "How much trouble do you three get into?"

I winced, "A lot. We normally make situations worse before they get better. At least try to go to sleep, Artie. I'll wake you if anything happens." Artie nodded, curling up on the couch again.

After a while, Artie sat up and said, "I'm not scared, if you're wondering. I just think we ought to turn the lights back on."

"Alright. You can turn them on." I said.

Artie makes his way nervously to the light switch and turns it on.

"Artie, Down!" I yelled, standing up as I spotted a Cyberman behind Artie. "How the hell did I miss that?" I asked myself, running to Artie. Artie spun around and yelped in surprise. The Cyberman sung around, knocking his hand across my forehead hard. I felt blood drip from the scratch the Cybermen made.

I was knocked down to the floor, crashing into a table as I went. I groaned and forced myself to get back up. Artie was routed to the spot in fear, "Artie, run!" I cried as the Cyberman started to reach for Artie. I grabbed the Cyberman's right arm and pulled back as hard as I could. Nothing happened.

The Cyberman turned to look at me and a red scan came from his eyes and scanned my body. "Hybrid, Time Lord DNA and Human DNA detected. Designation Amelia Rose Harkness. Daughter of Susan Jane Harkness and Captain Jack Harkness. Shoot on sight order initiated from Cyberman command for all of the Harkness's."

My eyes widened. "Shit." I stumbled away from the Cyberman, grabbing Artie's hand as I went, running out the door.

"Shoot on sight?" Artie asked me, his voice cracking as we ran. The Cyberman was chasing after us.

I shook my head, "I have no idea. Must be something I haven't done yet. Time travels a tricky business."

We ran into a building and stopped short. It was the military people from earlier along with The Doctor, Clara and Angie. Artie had doubled over, hands on his knees, breathing hard.

"Amelia, why isn't Artie sleeping?" Clara immediately said after staring at us.

"No time. Cyberman behind us." I said. As soon as I finished speaking, a loud crash echoed through the military barracks that we were now in.

"Cyberman!" The Captain yelped in shock.

"Angie! Artie!" Clara yelled.

"Attack formation." The Captain barks the command. The Cyberman moves faster than a blur while the platoon try to sort themselves out. A round man runs forward whilst another man with a pony-tail grabs a chair. The round man gets swatted aside. "No! Attack formation, quickly!" The Military started shooting at the Cyberman.

By now Artie had gone over by his sister and I had moved behind the line of fire.

"Upgrade in progress."

"Angie! Artie!" Clara yelled as the Cyberman moves through the group as if they are standing still and picks up Angie and Artie over his shoulders, carrying them off. "Angie! Artie!" Clara yelled again and started to go after them.

"Clara. Clara!" The Doctor shouted, grabbing her and dragging her back.

"That was a Cyberman. But they're extinct." The Captain said with bewilderment.

"Listen to me." The Doctor said, gripping Clara by the shoulders, "I will get them back." The Doctor turns to The Captain, "Captain, a word please." We moved away from the rest of the platoon, "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I take it your platoon doesn't do much fighting."

"What do you expect?" The Captain said, rolling her eyes.

"What?" Clara asked sharply.

The Captain sighed, "We're a punishment platoon. It's why they sent us out here, so we can't get into trouble."

"Right, right, well, okay. As Imperial Consul, I'm putting Clara in charge." The Doctor pins the Captain's insignia on Clara's jacket. I swallowed back my retort. 'So this was going to be how it goes.' I thought. I wanted my test-run apprenticeship to end so I could go back home.

"Clara, stay alive until I get back, and don't let anyone blow up this planet." The Doctor said.

Clara blanched, "Is that something they're likely to do?"

"Get to somewhere defensible. "

"Where are you going?"

"I'm getting Angie and Artie back and looking for funny insects. Stay alive. And you lot, no blowing up this planet!" The Doctor yelled, leaving the barracks.

Clara, the Captain and I were standing around small table looking at some type of weapon. "Cyberiad class weaponry. I've taken it out of storage." The Captain said.

"Good. We need to find somewhere defensible. Where?" Clara asked.

The Captain brings out a large advertising overview of Hedgewick's World. "The beach, the Giant's Cauldron, Natty Longshoe's Comical Castle."

"Real castle?" I asked, looking at the map.

I noticed Clara glared at me before she added, "Drawbridge? Moat?"

"Yes, but comical." The Captain replied.

Clara nodded, "We'll go there."

"Ma'am, my platoon can deal with one Cyberman, and there are protocols if we cannot immediately find and destroy it."

Clara crossed her arms, "Blowing up the planet protocols?"

The Captain winced, "Respectfully, ma'am."

"Somewhere defensible. No blowing up the planet."

"She's your commanding officer now, isn't she, Captain?" Porridge says, walking up.

"Yes. Sir."

Clara leaves and I stayed, "You really saw a Cyberman?" Porridge asked.

"We really did." The Captain replied.

"Have you reported it to the Imperium?" He asked.

The Captain shook her head, "No communicators."

Porridge frowned, "So you're going to do what she says. Right, let's all spend the night at Natty Longshoe's Comical Castle."

We were now outside the Castle. "What would the Empire do if they were alerted?" Clara asked.

"I told you," The Captain said, looking at Clara, "Tell me to blow up the planet."

"After they got us off." Clara said.

Porridge looked to the Captain, "Captain, you want to take that one?"

The Captain shook her head, "No, ma'am. Just blow the sucker up."

Clara stared at the castle, "Drawbridge, moat, brilliant."

"With respect, ma'am, we ought to be hunting the creature." Brains, I had asked the Captain to tell me everyone's name as we walked over to the castle,

"The only reason I'm still alive is that I do what the Doctor says. Can you guarantee me you'd bring back my children alive and unharmed?" Clara asked. Brains shakes his head. "I trust the Doctor."

"You think he knows what he's doing?" The Captain asked.

"I'm not sure I'd go that far."