"Whoa!" Thyra cried with delight, looking in awe at all the books that surrounded them and she craned her neck to see how high the shelves go. "Look at all these books! I love books!" This place looked amazing! It was even bigger than the TARDIS library and that was saying something for the TARDIS library could go on forever if it so desired. But this place! This place was the size of a whole planet and she knew that even for her, it would take her a very long time to go through all these wonderful books! Her parents always did take her to the best of places and the library that they were in now was certainly one of them.
Whilst she was looking around her new surroundings, Donna followed after her out of the TARDIS followed by her parents. They had all changed out of their 1920's gear and back into their normal clothing but ever since their 'date', Donna couldn't help but notice how closer Romana and Braxiatel have now become. Braxiatel was holding Romana's hand and Romana was leaning into his touch, both happy and content and she gave them a soft smile before looking back at Thyra who was still looking at all the books eagerly. The adults walked down the staircase to get closer to Thyra and they saw a huge city all filled with book shelves.
"Not as impressive as your Collection my dear." Romana told Braxiatel amusedly. Oh, she has been to Braxiatel's Collection plenty of times before he got it destroyed in the Time War. Even if she had to say so herself, it was very impressive and he collected nothing but the finest pieces of arts and artefacts across the universe.
Braxiatel chuckled, feeling pleased at the compliment. "Ah now, my Collection was one of the finest in the Universe. Not only did I have a collection of books, but I collected historical and beautiful artefacts that would be remembered throughout history!"
"So lovebirds, tell us where we are then?" Donna smirked, leaning against the rails next to Thyra. She has heard of Braxiatel talk about this Collection of his but knew little of it but knew enough that it meant an awful lot to him and that he liked to collect only the very fine objects.
"Welcome to the 51st Century." Romana told her, standing behind them. "In these times, people have got the holovids, direct to brain downloads, fiction mist but nothing can ever compare to the smell of books." She took a deep breath, breathing it in. "How I do miss our Gallifreyian library back home. What a library that we had back on Gallifrey."
"It's like a city!" Donna commented, gazing around with wonder like Thyra. Actually, it was more than a city. It was like a whole country! It was massive. Certainly the biggest and impressive library that Donna has ever been to in her lifetime.
"The Library. So big it doesn't need a name." Braxiatel replied, rubbing his thumb across Romana's skin. He wanted to take their relationship to the next level. They have been courting for each other for well more than five years and Braxiatel wanted to claim Romana as his mate after she has revealed her aura to him. But Braxiatel didn't know how for he wanted the moment to be perfect. How could he show Romana that he wanted her to be his mate? How could he tell the woman he love to be his wife?
"What, so how big was your Collection then? So small that it needed to be named after you?" Donna retorted cheekily and Braxiatel felt rather insulted and Romana threw her had back and laughed at Donna's cheeky insult towards Braxiatel and Romana ruffled his hair fondly.
"Oh, don't worry my dear. Your ego hasn't been injured yet." Romana replied cheekily and she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as he scowled. "Speaking of which-" Romana sniffed the air before smiling cheekily at Braxiatel. "We're in the Biography section. When are you going to start writing yours?"
Donna shook her head. Braxiatel didn't need to write a Biography with an ego as big as his and she knew that his Biography would take years to read since Time-Lord's live very long lives and Donna often wondered if a Time-Lord often lived too long. "Yeah, knew you would take us all to the Biography section. Always a death at the end. That's so you."
Thyra looked towards her auntie, her left eye going slightly astray. "But Donna, sometimes you need a good death. Dying gives us a size of emotions! Plus, you know it's a good book when it makes you cry. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows made me cry." She let go and picked up a book randomly, flipping through it and her eyes quickly scanned the pages, reading through the book eagerly.
Braxiatel looked around him, suddenly feeling something off about the Library and realized how quiet it was. Not even the sound of breathing save from them four could be heard. Where was the noise? Where was the sound of people turning the pages of books? "Romana...you know how my Braxiatel Collection was always filled with people?"
"Yes. It was. Why?"
"This is the biggest Library in the universe." He began carefully looking between the ladies cautiously. "So where is everyone? It's silent." They all stopped and listened, realizing there was not even the sound of footsteps to be heard before he went over to an information terminal and starts to fiddle on it with his sonic pen. Something was terribly wrong here and he felt the hairs prickling on the back of his neck.
"The Library?" Thyra asked curiously, putting the book down before trailing after her father. Her father was right. Libraries were meant to be full of people reading and borrowing books! Why couldn't they see or hear anyone? She was surprised at the fact the librarian hadn't come round to them for telling them off for being too noisy.
"The whole planet." Braxiatel nodded. The Library in a way, reminded him of his Braxiatel Collection. His Collection was actually on an asteroid KS-159 and he had won it in a card game centuries ago. It was first started in the 26th Century and lasted out until the 53rd century, give or take when the Time War happened and before the incidents with his own Cybermen army to fight against the Daleks.
"Well...maybe everyone's really, really, quiet." Donna whispered sarcastically and Thyra giggled. Sure, the Library was massive but couldn't that just mean that everybody else was in another section or something of the Library?
"If they were, they would still show up on the system and we would at least hear the turning page of a book." Braxiatel replied, still looking at the computer system.
"Why are we here, mummy, daddy?" Thyra asked her parents. "I love books and everything but, weren't you planning on taking us to the beach?" Her parents had promised to take her on a holiday to a beach for being a good girl but then her daddy had suddenly changed his mind and entered in new co-ordinates for a new destination though Thyra couldn't help but be somewhat glad about being in a library. She did love books and besides, the Library could recommend her new pirate books to read and collect!
"We'll explain it in a moment," Romana replied before she pointed towards the computer, pursing her lips. "Now look at that. That certainly is interesting."
"What is?"
"I'm scanning for life forms." Braxiatel explained to his daughter as he fiddled about with the computer. "If I do a scan for basic humanoids," He looked at the screen which currently read: "filtered humanoid lifeform scan; 4; complete. "Apart from us, we get nothing. Nobody is here but us. But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life..." He typed in some keys and the numbers on the screen jumbled up until they stopped and read: error: .000; lifeform number capped at maximum record.' "The computer gives up after that number. A million million." Braxiatel looked thoughtful. "As Alice would say; curious and curiouser."
Donna frowned, looking around before looking back at the Time-Lord's. But that was impossible! If that many people were here on this planet, then just where exactly were they all? "But there's nothing here. There's no-one. There's just books. I mean, it's not the books, is it? I mean, it can't be the books, can it? Books can't be alive?" They all looked at each other before they cautiously reached towards a book before they heard a voice, which made them all jump and Thyra yelp out in fright.
"Welcome!" The voice began loudly, greeting them.
"It came from in there." Romana mused, holding her daughter's hand. She breathed a sigh of relief despite the voice making her startled.
"Yeah." Donna let out a shaky breath and they headed back to the reception where they saw a lone node standing there. This was like something out a horror movie and Donna only hoped it wasn't.
The node turned it's head around to face them. "I am Courtsey Node 710/aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers regardless of species or hygiene taboo."
Donna looked at the node in horror. "That face, it looks real." It couldn't be a real face! Oh! The thought made her sick. Who would just stick a real face on some metal and make it talk?
"It's completely normal here Donna. Do not worry about it." Romana told her reassuringly. She made a mental note to give Donna a talk about body and organ donations in the future later for when they got back to the TARDIS.
Donna still looked horrified at the node. This was what it was going to be like in the future? Firs the Oods and now this! Urgh! Just the thought made her feel slightly sick. "But a statue with a real face, though! It's a hologram or something, isn't it?"
"Completely real." Thyra told her and she couldn't understand why her Auntie Donna was so horrified at the node. It was completely normal in the 51st Century.
"Additional. There follows a brief message from the head librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. 'Run. For God's sake, run. No where is safe. The Library has sealed itself, we can't...oh, they're here. Argh! Snick.' Message ends." Romana held Thyra close to her, feeling something terribly wrong with the whole situation. "Please switch off your mobile comm units for the comfort of other readers."
Braxiatel rested a hand upon Romana's shoulder in a protective manner, staying close to her. "Are there any other messages that we need to be aware of? Any data stamps?" He asked the node. If a Time-Lord male felt his mate or child feel threatened, they would do anything to ensure their safety and that anything could mean unleashing the darkness within him just to protect his family and that meant the Pandora. He loved his family too much for anything to happen to them.
"One additional message. This message carries a Felman Lux Coherency warning of 5,0, 11..."
Braxiatel growled, not having the patience to go through the silly information he knew already. "Just play the message!"
"Message follows. 'Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember...if you want to live, count the shadows.' Message ends."
"Mummy, I'm scared." Thyra whispered, suddenly feeling very frightened. The Shadows? Run? What did that mean? What was so scary about the shadows and she glanced nervously towards the dark areas of the library, holding tightly onto her mother's hand.
"It's going to be okay. You're a very brave girl you know that right?" Romana told her daughter reassuringly. "We're with you so just hold tightly onto my hand." She gave her daughter a reassuring smile and squeeze of the hand and Thyra felt slightly better.
"Donna..." Braxiatel began, glancing at Donna anxiously. So far there were little shadows around them but he hoped for his sake, there was nothing in them otherwise Thyra would have nightmares about the dark for weeks.
"Yeah?"
"Stay out of the shadows."
Donna glanced over her shoulder to see her shadow and she quickly went over to them. "Why, what's in the shadows?" She asked as they went through another door and arrived to an aisle between bookshelves, several floors high and reaching as far as they can see. "So..we weren't just in the neighbourhood then?"
"Braxiatel received a message on his psychic paper," Romana told her, still not pleased about the message with the little silly kiss at the end. Braxiatel showed the message to Donna and Thyra, which read: 'The Library. Come as soon as you can. x. Cry for help? With a kiss? Who even does that these days?" She scoffed.
"If I didn't know any better, I would say you sounded jealous." Donna smirked and Romana was about to protest before she looked at Braxiatel. Donna couldn't help but do a happy dance on the inside as she realized how well the Time-Lord's relationship was developing with each other. She only hoped she'll be around long enough to see the wedding if they ever did get to that stage. "Whose it from?"
"No idea."
"Mummy...daddy..." Thyra whimpered fearfully and she tugged hold of their hands as she pointed to the lights at the far end of the corridor and they looked to see where she was pointing. "The lights are going out." Romana quickly picked up Thyra as the darkness seemed to move rapidly towards them.
"What's happening?" Donna breathed in horror. Okay. This was certainly something like out of a horror movie and her heart beat quickened and she felt her blood race through her.
"Run!" Braxiatel yelled and he and Romana, still carrying Thyra, all began to run towards a door and Braxiatel tried to open it but he couldn't with his sonic pen. Oh, why did no sonic technology ever work on wood? "It's jammed!" He replied through gritted teeth. "Ladies, you may want to stand back." He motioned for them to stand a little back before he raised his leg and kicked the door open harshly and they burst the room and Braxiatel and Donna shut the door and use a book to bolt it, making it just in time as the lights went off behind them.
Romana noticed a security camera hovering in mid air. "Sorry for the disturbance. Normally, we wouldn't even be this loud in a library." As soon as she finished her sentence, the round sphere security camera fell to the ground, making Romana and Thyra blinked in surprise. Now that was odd. It was as though the security camera was just as started as they were.
"What is it?" Donna asked, walking over to them and Braxiatel placed his hands on Romana's waist gently before he picked up the security camera and started sonicing it. Romana kissed Thyra on top of her forehead. This whole adventure so far was very strange to her. "Nice door skills, by the way Braxiatel. Where did you learn to pick those up?" Donna asked him pointedly, actually impressed that the Time-Lord had it in him despite his age.
"Oh, my friend Bernice Summerfield taught me a few tricks." Braxiatel replied and Donna looked at him, bemused as he continued to sonic the security camera. "She used to help me with my Braxiatel Collection. She was an Archaeologists and a very good one at that too."
"But aren't you Time-Lord's? Why would you need to hang around with Archaeologists?" Donna enquired before shaking her head. "Never mind. But the main question is, are we safe?"
"For now." Romana replied before looking at Thyra. She hoped Thyra wasn't too worked up over what had just happened."Are you okay to walk now?"
Thyra gave a shaky nod. "Yes mummy." She carefully jumped out of her mother's arms but clutched onto her mother's hand tightly and Romana kissed the palms of her daughter's hand.
"Here we go. I think I've got it." Braxiatel commented as the cover on the security camera's lens opened and they all crowded around him when the security camera display read: No, stop it! No, no! Braxiatel frowned, bemused before gently putting the security camera down. Now that was odd!
"Daddy, you're hurting it!" Thyra scolded him. The poor camera! It was an alive one and it had feelings! Thyra would have hated to be in the security camera position for she knew the sonic screwdriver can hurt sometimes.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Braxiatel told the security camera, bemused at how it didn't register as a life form on his sonic or on the computer terminal before. "It's alive."
"You said it was a security camera." Donna accused. How could it be both? That was ridiculous.
"It's an alive one." Romana replied, just as confused before they looked down at the security camera once more, another message in place: Others are coming. "Others are coming. I presume that means more visitors." She only hoped that these other people were just as nice as they were.
"You reckon the one that sent us the physic message?" Braxiatel asked and Romana merely shrugged gracefully.
Donna turned to the node in the room, this one with a different face. "Excuse me, what does it mean by 'others'?"
"It can't answer questions like that Auntie Donna." Thyra told her, calming down from what had just happened moments before. She was going to be getting nightmares for weeks about the darkness now and she shuddered. "It's basically like a weight machine. It can only answer so much."
"So why's it got a face?"
"This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death." The node replied.
Donna looked sickened, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. "It's a real face?!"
"It has been actualised individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh banks. Please enjoy."
Donna looked at the node in shock. It chose a face especially for her? Why would anyone do such a thing in the future? This was horrible. "It chose me a dead face it thought I'd like? That statue got a real dead person's face on it..."
Thyra shook her head. "It's the 51st century, Auntie Donna, It's like donating organs when you die in your time."
"Hey, don't get freaky with me." Donna replied, still freaked out but she couldn't help but admit that Thyra was somewhat right.
"Donna...your shadow." Romana pointed, eyeing Donna's shadow somewhat nervously. There was no light in the room. The moon above them wasn't even real and there were little lights on in the room. So what was casting it? She stiffened, feeling slightly threatened.
Donna glanced at it before looking back at Romana. "What about it?"
"What's casting it?" Romana asked and Donna shivered fearfully before they all looked towards a corridor where they saw it was very dark and only a lamp was blinking slightly.
"Power must be going." Donna observed, trying to stay calm.
"No, this place runs on fission cells. They can outburn the sun." Braxiatel replied. He only hoped that the dark wasn't what he thought it was otherwise he would need to send Thyra back to the TARDIS as soon as possible for safety.
"So why is it so dark, daddy?" Thyra asked, cocking her head to the side. She couldn't understand it. Shouldn't the Library be filled with plenty of light so people could be able to read even if they were visiting at night?
"It's not the dark. It's what's in the dark."
Donna turned around and noticed that the shadow they had seen earlier was gone. Okay. That was spooky. How could a shadow disappear so quickly? "That shadow. It's gone."
Romana pulled Thyra in closer to her, clutching her daughter's hand tightly. "We need to get back to the TARDIS. This place isn't safe enough for Thyra." She should have done a proper environmental check before they even stepped out of the TARDIS. She should have researched the place and made sure it was safe and she felt like slapping at herself. If anything happened to Thyra now, it would be all her fault and she would have failed as a mother and being a mother to her mate's child and Romana did not want to disappoint her mate.
"Why? It's just a shadow." Donna asked, not getting why Romana was getting so worked up over a shadow.
"It's not gone, Donna. The shadow has moved."
"Reminder: the Library has been breached, others are coming. Reminder: the Library has been breached, others are coming." The node reminded them and the door bursts open and six people in spacesuits enter the room.
Their leader walks straights up to Romana and Braxiatel and she switches her visor to transparent to reveal a female face and she smiled at them. "Hello sweeties."
Braxiatel pulled a look of disgust at the comment. Nobody got to call him sweetie. Let alone, a nickname. The only nickname he had was-Brax and that was a shortened version of his name. Anybody who dared call him other than that would find themselves dead by the time they had their next meal. "Don't you dare call me that. I am nobody's sweetie." He growled out, holding Romana's hand tightly. "You need to leave. This place is not safe for anyone."
"Brax!" Romana scolded him slightly though she couldn't help but admit Braxiatel was right. The Library really wasn't safe and it certainly wasn't safe enough for Thyra to be around for.. The sooner they got Thyra back to the TARDIS, the better. "I'm sorry, but my suitor and mate is right. The Library is not safe. You all need to leave as soon as possible."
"Not save for anyone? Yet, you have a kid with you." The woman gave a large smile towards Thyra. The little girl did seem very cute with those braids and pirate outfit she had on. "Pop your helmets, everyone. We've got breathers." They all took off their helmets and River shook her hair, releasing a mass of blond curls.
"How do you know they're not androids?" Another woman asked anxiously, also with curly hair and Romana couldn't help but feel offended at the comment. Androids! Really! They were Time-Lord's! Not some metal robot!
"Cos I've dated androids. They're rubbish." The leader replied and Thyra looked at her, amused.
A bald man walked up to them, looking irritated. "Who are these people? You said we were the only expedition, I paid for exclusives!"
The leader smirked. Oh, she did love winding up her team mates! It was so much fun. "I lied, I'm always lying. Bound to be others."
The bald man turned to a pale, woman who looked slightly frightened at being here. "Miss Evangelista, I want to see the contracts." Evangelista nodded and hurried to do as the man asked her.
The woman who first spoke to them turned and looked at Romana. "You came through the north door, yeah? How was that, much damage? And where's she? Is Storm here with you?" The woman scanned them as though hoping for familiar face only to find the Time family and Donna looking at her in confusion, not having the faintest idea what she was talking about.
"Please, just leave. This is far too dangerous..." Braxiatel trailed off, looking thoughtful. "Hold on, did you say expedition?"
The bald man nodded. "My expedition. I funded it."
"You're all Archaeologists, is that correct?" Braxiatel enquired and the humans nodded. "Tell me, you don't by any chance know someone called Professor Bernice Summerfield do you?"
"She used to be my tutor. We tried to kill each other a few times in the past but we ended up being best friends instead," The woman with the long, curly blonde hair replied, grinning. "Why? You know her?"
"Very well. I'm Irving Braxiatel. The, Irving Braxiatel. Then again, I did try and kill her a few times in the past." Braxiatel replied smugly and the humans in the room looked at him with great admiration, their mouths dropping open save from the leader with awe and respect. Ah, he did so love having a great reputation. It did become very handy sometimes. "This is my mate-Lady Romanadvoratrelundar and daughter Thyra and great friend, Donna Noble." His mate. He liked saying that despite Braxiatel not having claimed Romana yet but soon he would and he hoped it would be sooner rather than later/
"Ah! I take it your Time-Travellers judging by your clothing?" The leader asked and the Time-Lord's nodded. "Best way to travel. Professor River Song, archaeologist."
Romana couldn't help but feel something was off about River. She could sense something about her that was off, like when they used the TARDIS keys to hide from the Master and she wondered if that what it was. But why did River want them to not notice her? What was it about her that bothered her? She shivered. "River Song, this is serious business. We were just leaving ourselves and I suggest you all do as I say but before you leave, you need to set up a quarantine beacon. You need to code-wall the whole planet so nobody can ever set foot here again." She turned her gaze towards the other curly haired woman who was walking towards the shadows. "You there! Stop!" Romana barked out and the woman looked startled but did as she asked. "Stay right there! What is your name?"
"Anita." Anita replied uneasily.
"Anita, I want you to stay out of the shadows. Completely, out of the shadows." Romana warned. She wanted no deaths today. She has had enough of deaths for a while despite what Thyra had commented about deaths earlier. "That goes for all of you. I want everybody to stay in the light like we're doing. Because the shadows are dangerous." There was a pregnant pause and the humans looked at her with blank faces but River merely smiled but all did as Romana asked before Romana pointed to a man with her spare hand. "You over there, what's your name?" Anita quickly did as she asked and avoided the shadows, looking at them uneasily.
"Uh, Dave." Dave replied.
"Dave I-" Romana began but was interrupted by Dave.
"Oh, well Other Dave, because that's Proper Dave the pilot-" Other Dave told him, pointing towards Proper Dave and Thyra giggled, finding this conversation slightly amusing. "He was the first Dave, so when we-"
Romana let go of Thyra's hand and she took the Other Dave to the door they have just come through. "Other Dave, the way you came through, does it look the same as before?"
"Yeah. Oh, it's a bit darker." He replied, sounding surprised. Now that was odd! How did it get dark so quickly?
"Tell me, how much darker?"
Other Dave pointed towards the direction. "Oh, like I could see where we came through just a moment ago. I can't now."
Romana sighed, just as she feared would happen. "Seal up this door. We'll find another way out." She walked back to Thyra. She wanted to stay as close to Thyra as possible on this trip, knowing this trip could be highly dangerous and she wanted her daughter to be within her sight and reach.
The bald man looked at her irritably. How dare this stranger of a woman just take the lead! "We're not looking for a way out-"
"Well you are." Romana snapped coldly, narrowing her eyes at him and he gulped. She was in charge whether he liked it or not. If he wanted to survive, then he had better listen to her. "Officially, you are all under my command now whether you like it or not and I will not put my daughter's life at risk for some silly expedition. Is that understood Mr...?"
"Mr Lux." Lux replied, glaring at her, as though telling her it was her fault for bringing her daughter in the first place.
"Mr Lux. If you want to survive this then you had all better listen to me very, very careful." Romana warned and Mr Lux knew she was telling the truth. "You understand that I hope?"
"Yes but my family built this Library! I have the rights!" He protested.
"Yeah? I'm Irving Braxiatel." Braxiatel retorted and Mr Lux actually looked shameful. Nothing could ever compare to the Braxiatel Collection. Not even the Library itself.
River rolled. "Both of you have mouths that won't stop talking." She shook her head before looking at Romana. "You really think there's danger here?"
"Let me think...an invisible being came to this Library and killed every living specimen inside that resulted into killing the whole world? And you're asking for danger? Could be." Romana couldn't help but reply in a sarcastic manner. Oh, Donna was certainly rubbing of her and Romana couldn't help but wonder what habits she would pick up next.
"That was 100 years ago. The Library's been silent for 100 years. Whatever came here is long dead." River reminded them. There was nothing dangerous about this so far but she knew these Time-Lord's. She knew them well and she was so thankful that they actually came to her call when she needed them the most but she was disappointed that her best friend didn't come but River knew that she must be busy raiding the skies for piracy and made a mental note to join her for another adventure.
"Bet your life?" Thyra piped up cheekily. She found the woman amusing and she had great hair! She was thankful she didn't have curly hair like that to wake up to every morning to brush it.
River smiled before winking at her. "Always."
"Somebody hand me a torch," Braxiatel demanded before seeing a torch from Mr Lux hand and he snatched it off him and he walked to the other side of the room and started to look around, using the torch to light the dark corners and Thyra ran carefully after him. "Almost every species in the universe has an irrational fear of the dark. But that is where they are wrong. It is never irrational. It's the Vashta Nerada."
Romana shivered. "Oh, I remember learning about the Vashta Nerada back at the Academy on Gallifrey. They used to give us all nightmares for weeks!" She remembered being back at the Academy where her tutors were teaching her about other species about their cultures and languages and Vashta Nerada had been one of them. All the students had nightmares for weeks including her and all were very careful to avoid the dark and even the teacher got a telling off for scaring the students too much.
Donna frowned. "What's Vashta Nerada?" What riddles were they making up now?
"It's what has always been in the dark." Romana replied as they all walked back to the group. She rather not talk about it now for fear of giving Thyra nightmares but she knew "But first. We need lights. Everyone put your lights on!"
"What for?" River Song called out.
"To form a circle. A big safe area, as big as you can with all lights pointing out." Romana ordered in a stern tone and some of the humans obeyed her, Thyra sticking as close as to her mother as she could but Mr Lux refused to do as she instructed. She wanted Thyra to stay safe as possible, couldn't this stubborn man see that?
River looked at Mr Lux, annoyed. "Oi! Do as she says!"
"You're not listening to these people?!" Mr Lux cried in outrage. He was in charge of this expedition! He was the one who organized it! He would not let complete strangers take charge of it and just who did River Song think she was?
"They're basically in charge now, so apparently, I am. Anita, unpack the lights. Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Mr Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the Library database, see what you can find about what happened here a hundred years ago. My lovely sweeties, you two are with me. Step into my office." River ordered and she walked to a desk with an information terminal.
"Professor Song, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?" Mr Lux huffed, annoyed at the fact he had his helmet on yet everyone else did not.
"I don't fancy you." River replied cheekily and this made Thyra giggle and River beamed, glad at the fact she could make this little girl laugh. "My lovely sweeties, with me I said."
Romana and Braxiatel stared at each other, slightly dumbfounded though Romana couldn't help but cringe slightly. "Sweeties?" Romana repeated with a raised eyebrow. What sort of nickame was that? The only nickname she ever liked was Fred and that was from the Doctor. She hated all her other nicknames and that included the Ice Queen.
Donna snickered, leaning over a pile of books. "Yes. Ooh, that came out a bit quick!" Oh, she did love it when she get to see the Time-Lord's all flustered up.
"Sweeties?!"
"Meh." Donna shrugged, grinning and indicated for Thyra to come near her and Thyra did.
Braxiatel held Romana's hand tightly as they walked over to River's place. "Whatever you do, do not let your shadows cross. Some shadows are infected with the Vashta Nerada. Any one of them could be infected."
"How can a shadow be infected?" Other Dave asked, confused but everyone was soon busy with the work they were set out to do apart from Miss Evangelista.
"Excuse me, can I help?" Miss Evangelista asked, wanting so much to help her friends as she went over to Anita and the Other Dave. She so much wanted to be involved! She wanted to prove to her team mates that she wasn't stupid and that she could be as clever as them even if she was more pretty than them.
"No, we're fine." Anita gave her a tight smile before going back to work.
"I could just...you know, hold things?" Miss Evangelista suggested. She wanted to do something. She hated feeling left out as it reminded her of all the times at school when she got left out on team work and sports teams, always being picked last.
Other Dave shook his head. "No, really, we're okay."
Miss Evangelista looked output and slightly hurt before she stood off to the side. Thyra walked up to them, glancing between them and Miss Evangelista. "Couldn't she help you?" She couldn't help but notice the interaction. Miss Evangelista herself seemed very pretty lady and Thyra knew she wanted to prove her worth to her team mates and couldn't help but feel slightly sorry for her.
"Trust me kid, I just spent four days on a ship with that woman. She's..." Other Dave told her, lowering his voice to a whisper as he tried to figure out the right and polite word to describe her. He wanted to use a rude word but not in front of this kid for he knew he would get a telling off from her parents though he couldn't help but wonder what a kid was doing on this planet in the first place. Didn't she realize the danger she could be in?
Anita shook her head. "Couldn't tell the difference between the escape pod and the bathroom. We had to go back for her. Twice." It was an absolute nightmare and they wasted valuable time going back after Miss Evanglista when they could have done more important things.
Thyra frowned. "But she's meant to be part of your team and she's your friend. You are meant to be working together as a team, whether you like it or not and you should stick together as a team. You're basically bullying her instead of teaching her the things that she needs to know. If she doesn't understand it, teach it to her in terms that she will know." She shook her head and Anita and Other Dave looked slightly shameful at themselves and Donna looked at Thyra proudly. Donna was so going to tell Romana and Braxiatel what Thyra was doing now later! They were going to be so proud of their daughter. "What you are doing to her wrong and very unfair." She scolded them and she took her Auntie Donna's hand, leaving Anita and Other Dave to their thoughts on what they were truly doing to their friend, Miss Evangelista.
River began pulling things out from her bag and she pulled out a strange, TARDIS-shaped and coloured diary. "Thanks." River told the Time-Lord's as they walked over to her.
Braxiatel frowned. "For what?"
"The usual. For both of you coming when I call."
"Oh, so you're the one that sent the message." He nodded thoughtfully. It did make sense on why they were all here in the first place though he couldn't help but be slightly annoyed at the fact River put a kiss at the end of the message. Braxiatel loved no other woman besides Romana. Romana was his mate. His suitor. He loved Romana more than any other being besides his daughter in the universe. His mate was his everything and he would not leave her simply for another woman having a fling with him.
River raised an eyebrow at them."You're both doing a very good job, acting like you don't know me. And where is Storm? She should be here by now." She sighed, shaking her head. "I assume there's a reason."
Romana and Braxiatel glanced at each other, confused but both knew that River was someone from their future. But who? What could she possibly mean to them and why did River not simply call them from the correct point in time? Oh Gallifrey, this was going to cause a paradox of some sorts if too much was revealed. "We have a fairly good reason..." Romana replied, wondering who she meant by Storm though the name itself did ring a familiar bell.
River flipped open her diary. "Ok, shall we do diaries, then? Where are we this time? Uh, going by your faces...I'd say it's early days for the pair of you. Yes? So, um..." She began to flip through the pages of her book. "Crash of the Byzantium, have we done that yet?" Both Romana and Braxiatel looked at her, blank. "Obviously ringing no bells." She turned several more pages. "Right, um, oh. Picnic at Asgard. Have we done Asgard yet?" The Time-Lord's still stared at her and River gave a long-suffering sigh. "Obviously not. Blimey, very early days, then. Huh, life with Time-Travellers, never knew it could be such hard work!" She stopped flipping her book before she glanced at Thyra in the distance with Donna and her eyes widened before she examined their faces carefully and she is even more surprised by what she sees. "Oh! You are both so young." Oh no. She has gotten the wrong time. They came early. Far to early to possibly even understand who she was and that was what killed her. She sometimes hated her life but she knew she wouldn't trade it for the world even with all the pain she suffered.
Braxiatel raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I really don't feel young." He really wasn't. He was older than Romana. Far to old by some people's standards to even be in love with his mate.
"Nah, but the both of you." She looked between Romana and Braxiatel, holding Romana's hands tightly as she looked at them deeply in the eyes. "Both of you are younger than I've ever seen you both."
"You're from our future." Romana realized. But if she was from their future, did River not realize that she should not reveal anything? Why did she even call them in the first place? But at the same time, Romana couldn't help but be curious about her. Be curious to think that relations they had with River. Was she a new companion? Did she travel with them in the future?
River looked at them desperately. They had to know who she was even if she was early in their Time stream. They had to, otherwise, it would hurt to much. "Romana...Braxiatel...please tell me you know who I am?" She asked desperately.
"I'm sorry...but we don't." Romana told her apologetically and River looked hurt by the comment as though it killed her deeply inside before they were interrupted by an alarm and they all turned, startled by the sudden sound.
Proper Dave held up his hands apologetically from the computer terminal. "Sorry, that was me. Trying to get through into the security protocols, I seem to have set something off. What is that? Is that an alarm?"
Donna looked towards the Time-Lord's. "Braxiatel? Romana? That sounds like..."
"It's a phone!" Thyra told them, knowing exactly what it was. "It's a telephone ringing!"