The Weary Travellers
The Idiot's Lantern
Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, dressed 1950's style in a pink dress, matching high heels and a blue denim jacket. "I fought we'd be goin' for the Vegas-era." she remarked "Ya know, the white flares, an' the.." she growled "..chest hair."
The Doctor stepped out behind her, dressed in his usual brown suit, but with his hair slicked back, teddy-boy style. "You are kidding, are ya?" he retorted "If ya wanna see Elvis, ya go for the late fifties. The time before burgers. When they called 'im the Pelvis, an' he still had a waist." They'd been going on several music-themed trips lately. A couple of days ago, it had been Gazelle's 725th birthday, so the Doctor had taken her to see Queen rule the world at Live Aid in 1985. Yesterday, they'd gone to see the Electric Light Orchestra at Glastonbury in 2016, and now they were going to see Elvis Presley. "What's more, you see 'im in style." the Doctor finished, opening the other TARDIS door, then he stood back.
An engine revved inside and Gazelle rode out on a black motorbike with a TARDIS-blue sidecar attached. Like the Doctor, she was dressed in her normal attire, and had simply changed her hairstyle, in her case, she'd pulled it into a ponytail. She had a new addition to her outfit in the form of a silver necklace with a gazelle pendant. The Doctor had given it to her as a birthday present. "Nice wheels." Rose remarked, looking at the bike.
"Yeah, thought it was appropriate." Gazelle replied, slipping on a black helmet and sunglasses "And before ya ask, no, the sidecar doesn't turn into a plane."
"I might 'ave to look into that one day." the Doctor muttered thoughtfully, climbing on the bike behind Gazelle. "You goin' my way, doll?" he asked her in an American accent.
"Is there any other way to go, daddy-o?" she replied, also in an American accent, passing him a blue helmet.
"Straight from the fridge, man!" Rose piped in, jumping into the sidecar.
"Ah, you speak the lingo." the Doctor noted, tossing her a pink helmet.
"Yeah, well, me mum, Cliff Richard movies, every Bank 'oliday Monday." Rose replied
"Ah, Cliff!" the Doctor nodded "I knew your mother'd be a Cliff fan."
"Ok, here we go!" Gazelle said, and drove off down the street. "So, what's the destination?" she asked the Doctor.
"Ed Sullivan TV studios." the Doctor replied "Elvis did Hound Dog on one of the shows, there were loads of complaints. Bit of luck, we'll just catch it."
"An' that'll be TV studios in.. What, New York?" Rose questioned, looking at the very un-New York terraced houses lining the streets.
"That's the one." the Doctor grinned, not noticing their surroundings.
"And does that include double-decker buses?" Gazelle smirked, as one drove past. She stopped the bike and turned to the Doctor with a smug look, while he looked around to see Union Flags strung everywhere.
"Diggin' that New York vibe!" Rose laughed
"You knew, didn't ya?" the Doctor said to Gazelle
"Yep." she grinned "Why d'ya think I chose this bike? We're in London."
"An' you never said." the Doctor pouted
"Didn't wanna spoil ya fun." she said, and gave him a small kiss to make him feel better.
"What're all the flags for?" Rose wandered
"Special occasion?" Gazelle shrugged "Fancy finding out?" she asked the others
"Might as well." the Doctor said. The TARDIS had brought them here for a reason, so it would be prudent to see what was happening.
They rode on for a bit, before parking on a street where a man was just unloading a telly from his van. "There you go, sir." he said to a homeowner "All wired up for the great occasion."
The time travellers walked up to him "Great occasion?" the Doctor asked him "What d'ya mean?"
"Where you been living, out in the colonies?" the man snorted, closing his van up "The coronation, of course!"
"An' what coronation's that, then?" the Doctor asked
"What d'you mean?" the man scoffed "The coronation!"
"It's the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II." Gazelle told the Doctor
"Oh! Is this 1953?" the Doctor grinned
"Yep, June the 1st, the day before the coronation." Gazelle confirmed
"Time for a lovely bit of pomp and circumstance, what we do best!" the man grinned
"Look at all the TV aerials." Rose frowned, looking at the rooftops "Looks like everyone's got one. That's weird, my nan said tellies were so rare, they all 'ad to pile into one 'ouse."
"Not around here, love." the man smirked "Magpie's marvellous tellies, only five quid a box."
"Oh, but this is a brilliant year, classic!" the Doctor said excitedly "Technicolour, Everest climbed, everyfink off the ration. A nation throwing off the shadows of war and looking forward to a happier, brighter future." he said in a posh voice, making both women laugh
Their attention was suddenly caught by a woman's voice calling out "Someone help me, please! Ted!" The time travellers all turned to see a man with a blanket over him being led out of a house by two men in black suits. "Leave him alone, that's my husband! Please!" the woman begged, as the men bundled her husband into a black car.
"What's goin' on?" the Doctor asked as they rushed over. The men just ignored him.
A teenage boy ran out of a house across the road "Oi, what're you doing?" he shouted at the men.
"Police business, now get out of the way, sir." a man in a trench coat and hat waved him off, and got into the car.
"Who did they take, did ya know 'im?" Rose asked the boy
"Must be Mr Gallagher." he replied as they watched the car start to drive off "It's happening all over the place. They're all turning into monsters."
Just then, a rather unpleasant-looking man came charging out of the boy's house. "Tommy!" he ordered "Not one word! Get inside, now!"
"Sorry, I'd better do as he says." Tommy said to the trio and went back over to his home.
Gazelle felt her hearts go out for the boy. Clearly, his father was one of those tyrants who considered their word law and bullied anyone who disagreed with his views. But for now, there was a more pressing matter at hand, so she and the Doctor jumped back onto the bike. "All aboard!" the Doctor called and Rose jumped back into the sidecar, then they sped off in pursuit of the car.
They charged round a corner only to find a dead end ahead. The road ended at a gate leading into a warehouse. The gate was blocked by a market barrow and a man was sweeping in front of it. "Lost 'em." the Doctor groaned "How did they get away from us?"
Rose, meanwhile, felt her stomach settle. "Nice driving." she grunted "Where did ya learn to ride a bike?" she asked Gazelle
"I had a hoverbike back home." the Time Lady replied "But never mind that, what's going on here?" she frowned
"Yeah." the Doctor agreed "Men in black? Vanishing police cars? This is Churchill's England, not Stalin's Russia!"
"Monsters, that boy said." Rose pondered "Maybe we should go an' ask the neighbours." she suggested
"Good idea." Gazelle agreed
"That's what I like about you." the Doctor remarked "The domestic approach."
"Thank you." Rose smirked "Hold on, was that an insult?" she didn't get answer, Gazelle just swung the bike around and they drove off back towards the street they'd seen the man being taken from.
That evening, they rang the doorbell on the house Tommy had come out of. The door was answered by his father. "Hi!" the Doctor and Rose said in unison
"Who are you, then?" the man asked suspiciously
"Let's see, then." the Doctor rambled "Judgin' by the look of you, family man, nice 'ouse, decent wage, fought in the war, therefore I represent Queen an' country." he flashed his psychic paper in the man's face "Just doin' a little check of Her Majesty's subjects before the great day. Don't mind if we come in? Nah, didn't fink ya would. Thank you." and he promptly barged past the man and went into the house, Rose and Gazelle following, the Time Lady shooting the man an apologetic look as she passed.
The Doctor strode into the living room, where Tommy's mother was sitting. "Ah, very nice." the Doctor remarked "Very well kept. I'd like to congratulate you, Mrs..."
"Connolly." she answered timidly
"Now then, Rita, I can 'andle this." Mr Connolly said, as he and Tommy entered the room. "This gentlemen's a proper representative." he turned to the Doctor "Never mind the wife, she rattles on a bit."
"Well, maybe she should rattle on a bit more." the Doctor replied sternly "I'm not convinced you're doin' ya patriotic duty." he looked at a bunch of Union Flags lying in a box "Those flags, why aren't they flyin.?"
"There we are, Rita, I told you." Mr Connolly said to his wife "Get them up! Queen an' country!"
"I'm sorry." Rita said meekly
"Get it done!" her husband, Eddie, ordered "Like the gentleman says."
"Hold on a minute." the Doctor interrupted "You've got hands, Mr Connolly. Two big hands. So why's it ya wife's job?"
"Well, it's 'ousework, innit?" Eddie replied as if it was obvious
"An' that's a woman's job?"
"Course it is."
The Doctor glared. This man's attitude to women appalled him. "Mr Connolly, what gender is the Queen?"
"She's a female."
"Then are you suggesting the Queen does the housework?"
"No, not at all." Eddie said hastily
"Then get busy!" the Doctor ordered, handing him the flags.
"Right, yes sir." Eddie blustered "You'll be proud of us, sir! We'll 'ave Union Jacks left, right an' centre!"
"S'cuse me, Mr Connolly?" Rose faced him "Hang on a minute. Union Jacks?"
"Yes, that's right, isn't it?"
"That's the Union Flag." Rose told him "It's the Union Jack only when it's flown at sea."
Gazelle saw Tommy smirk at this. She wandered just horrible his father really was to him. Clearly, it was very rewarding to see him being cut down to size. She was really starting to dislike this man, with his sexist attitude.
"Oh, oh, I'm sorry." Eddie said "I do apologise."
"Well, there's a good man, don't do it again. Now get to it!" Rose ordered. Eddie nodded and starting working on the flags. Rose smugly sat down in an armchair, while the Doctor and Gazelle sat down on the settee.
"Right then, nice an' comfy at Her Majesty's leisure." the Doctor said "Union Flag?" he asked Rose
"Mum used to date a sailor." she replied
"Oh, ho, ho, I bet she did." the Doctor chuckled, then turned to the Connolly's "I'm the Doctor, this lovely lady is Gazelle." he slipped an arm around Gazelle "An' this is Rose." he gestured to the Blonde. And you are?" he asked Tommy
"Tommy."
"Well, come and sit down with us, Tommy." Gazelle encouraged, patting a spot next to her.
Tommy sat down in that spot. "Have a look at this." the Doctor said, gesturing to the telly "I love telly, don't you?"
"Yeah, I fink it's brilliant." Tommy smiled
"Who doesn't?" Gazelle smiled
"Keep working, Mr C." the Doctor called over his shoulder to Eddie, then turned to Rita "Now, why don't ya tell us what's wrong?"
"Did you say you were a doctor?" Rita asked
"Yes, I am."
"Can you help her? Oh, please. Can you help her, Doctor?" Rita begged
"Now then, Rita, I don't fink the gentleman needs to know." her husband cut in
"Oh, the gentleman does." the Doctor countered
"You can tell us what's wrong, Mrs Connolly." Gazelle encouraged "We can help." Rita suddenly burst into tears. Gazelle went over to her and gave her a comforting hug. "It's alright." she soothed "It's alright."
"Hold on a minute." Eddie spoke up suddenly "Queen an' country's one thing, but this is my house!" he suddenly remembered what he was doing "What the hell am I doing?" he threw the flags aside and strode over to the Doctor "Now you listen here, Doctor. You may 'ave fancy qualifications, but what goes on under my roof is my business!"
The Doctor glared "Not if people are being..."
"I AM TALKING!" Eddie shouted
The Doctor lost patience "AND I'M NOT LISTENING!" he thundered, pulling himself to his full height and towering over Eddie "Now you, Mr Connolly, you are starin' into a deep, dark pit of trouble if you don't let us help. So I'm ordering you, sir!" he spat "Tell me what's goin' on!" he demanded
Gazelle watched Eddie expression. Clearly, no one had ever stood up to him before, and he looked completely dumfounded as to what to say or do. Suddenly, a thumping came from upstairs. They all looked up at the noise. "She won't stop." Eddie said meekly "She never stops."
"We started 'earing stories." Tommy explained "All round the place. People who.. changed. Families keepin' it secret, cos' they were scared. Then the police started findin' out. We don't know how, no one does. They just turn up, come to the door, an' take 'em, any time of the day or night."
"Show us." the Doctor said
Tommy led them all upstairs and opened the door to one of the bedrooms. "Gran, it's Tommy." he called inside "It's alright, Gran, I've brought help." he opened the door wider and the time travellers could see the silhouette of a woman, Tommy's gran, standing by the window. The Doctor turned the light on and they could all see that the woman's face was completely missing. No eyes, no nose, no mouth, just blank skin.
The Doctor went over and looked at her closely. "Her face is completely gone." he took out his sonic screwdriver and did a scan "Scarcely an electrical impulse left." he murmured "Almost complete neural shut-down, it's just ticking over. It's like 'er brain's been wiped clean."
"What could do something like this?" Gazelle wandered, her hearts going out for the poor woman.
"What we gonna do, Doctor?" Tommy asked worriedly "We can't even feed her!"
Suddenly, they heard the sound of someone breaking through the door. "We've got company!" Rose hollered
"It's them, they've come for her!" Rita said frantically
"Quickly, what was she doin' before this happened?" the Doctor asked Tommy urgently "Where was she? Tell me! Quickly, fink!"
"I can't fink, she doesn't leave the house!" Tommy shook his head "She was just..."
At that moment, two men burst into the room. "Hold on a minute." the Doctor said to them "There are three important, brilliant an' complicated reasons why you should to listen to me. One..." he was cut off by one of the men slamming his fist into his jaw, knocking him out and sending him crashing to the floor.
"Doctor!" Gazelle and Rose both yelled, rushing over to him.
While they were occupied, the two men through a blanket over the gran's head and began to drag her away. "Leave her alone!" Rita pleaded "You'll hurt her!" one of the men just shoved her aside. Not deterred, she and Tommy went down the stairs after them.
Gazelle and Rose, meanwhile, kept trying to bring the Doctor round. Finally, he jumped back up "Gah! Hell of a right hook!" he groaned "Have to watch out for that."
"C'mon, they've taken her!" Gazelle urged, and she and the Doctor promptly bolted from the room and down the stairs, Rose following. Outside, the black car sped away. As she passed the living room, something caught Rose's eye and she stopped to look. There was a strange red lightening surrounding the telly.
Outside, the Doctor and Gazelle both jumped onto the bike "Rose, come on! We're gonna lose 'em again!" the Doctor urged
Inside, Rose heard the Doctor's shout, but then she saw the red lightning disappear. She went over to examine the telly.
"Rose!" Gazelle yelled, but there was no sign of her.
"Oh, she'll just 'ave to catch up." the Doctor sighed "Let's get after them!" so Gazelle revved the bike into life and they set off in pursuit of the car.
In the living room, Rose looked at the telly closely. The red lightning could be seen running along the wires at the back of it. Also on the back was a label proclaiming 'Magpie Electricals'. She remembered seeing that name on the side of the van she'd seen earlier. "You!" Eddie's voice snapped her out of her thoughts "Get the hell out of my house!" he demanded
"I'm goin, I'm done." Rose waved him off and got up "Nice to meet ya, Tommy, Mrs Connolly." she turned to Eddie "An' as for you, Mr Connolly, only an idiot 'angs the Union Flag upside down. Shame on you." she gave him a cheeky smile and rushed out of the house.
Meanwhile, the Time Lords were in pursuit of the car, when they found themselves in the same dead end as before. Once again, the car had vanished, and the same barrow and man sweeping were there. Realisation dawned on the Time Lords. The car had gone inside the warehouse and the sweeper was just a cover. "Oh, very good." the Doctor muttered
"Should've realised it before." Gazelle murmured. She drove the bike back round the corner and they proceeded on foot.
They soon found a side gate and the Doctor opened it with his sonic, then they slipped in. Inside, they saw the car parked up and one of the men from the house locking a cage. The man said something to the man in the trench coat they'd seen earlier that day, then both men walked away. Once they were gone, the Time Lords crept forward and approached the cage. There were people inside. Gazelle soniced it open and they crept in. They both used their sonics' penlight function to take a closer look at the people in the cage. They all had their faces missing. "I'm sorry." the Doctor said quietly to them "I'm so sorry."
"We'll find out what did this to you, and reverse it, we promise." Gazelle added
Suddenly, the car's headlights came on, and the Time Lords turned to see the policemen standing there "Stay where you are." the one in the trench coat ordered.
Rose, meanwhile, had gone to Magpie Electricals. She walked in to find the man she'd seen earlier tinkering with a telly. This was Mr Magpie. "Oh, I'm sorry, miss." he spoke up "I'm afraid you're too late. I was just about to lock the door."
"Yeah? Well, I wanna buy a telly." Rose replied
"Come back tomorrow, please." Magpie said sharply
"You'll be closed, won't ya?" Rose countered
"What?"
"For the big day? The coronation?" Rose reminded him
"Yes, yes. Of course, the big day. I'm sure you'll find somewhere to watch it. Please go."
Rose ignored him and walked over to him. "Seems to me, 'alf of London's got a television, since you're practically givin' 'em away." she remarked
"I have my reasons." Magpie said evasively
"An' what're they?" Rose asked suspiciously
Suddenly, a telly on the side wall fizzled on to show a woman yelling "Hungry! Hungry!"
"What's that?" Rose asked
"It's just the television." Magpie waved her off "One of these modern programmes. Now, I really do fink you should leave." he went to the door "Right now."
"Not until you've answered my questions." Rose insisted "How come your televisions're so cheap?"
"It's my patriotic duty." Magpie shrugged "Seems only right that as many folk as possible get to watch the coronation. We may be loosin' the Empire, but we can still be proud! he laughed "20 million people they reckon'll be watching that. Imagine that! An' 20 million people can't be wrong, eh? So why don't ya get yourself back 'ome an' get up bright an' early for the big day?!" he said urgently
"Nah, I'm not leavin' till I've seen everyfink." Rose told him
"I need to close." Magpie insisted
"Mr Magpie, somefink's happenin' out here. Ordinary people are being struck down an' changed, an' the only new thing in the 'ouse is a television. Your television. What's goin' on?"
"I knew this would happen." Magpie sighed "I knew I'd be found out." he locked the door
"All right then, just you an' me." Rose said "You gonna come clean, then? What's really in it for you?"
"For me? Perhaps some peace."
"From what?"
"From her." he gestured towards the woman on the telly.
"But that's just a woman on the telly." Rose scoffed "It's just a program."
"What a pretty little girl." the woman spoke up suddenly
Rose stared "Oh my God, are you talkin' to me?"
"Yes, I'm talking to you, little one. Unseasonably chilly for the time of year, don't you think?"
"What are you?" Rose stared, moving closer to the screen.
"I'm the Wire. And I'm hungry!" the woman screamed and red bolts of lightening shot out of the telly and latched onto Rose's face.
"Magpie, help me!" Rose cried
But Magpie didn't move a muscle. "Just fink of that audience watching tomorrow, my dear." he said regretfully "All settling down to watch the coronation. 20 million people. Things'll never be the same again. I'm sorry." he grimaced "So sorry."
"Help me!" Rose begged, but Magpie just turned his head away, unable to watch.
"Goodnight, children, everywhere." the Wire cackled
Meanwhile, the Time Lords had been brought into an office where they were being interrogated by the trench coat officer. "Start from the beginning, tell me everything you know." he demanded
"Well, for starters.. I know ya can't wrap ya hand round ya elbow an' make ya fingers meet." the Doctor replied cheekily
"Don't get clever with me!" the man snapped "You were both there today at Florizel Street, an' now breaking into this establishment. Oh, you two are connected with this, make no mistake."
"I'm sorry about him, Detective Inspector Bishop." Gazelle said "It's just that.."
Bishop stared "How d'you know my name?"
"It's written inside the collar of your shirt." she told him
"Bless ya wife." the Doctor smirked "But I can't 'elp finking, Detective Inspector, you're not exactly doin' much detective inspectin', are you?"
"I'm doing everything in my power." Bishop retorted
"I don't mean to be rude, Detective Inspector, but all you're doing is grabbing these faceless people and hiding them away as fast you can." Gazelle countered
"Don't tell me." the Doctor chimed in "Orders from above? Coronation day, the eyes of the world are on London town, so any sort of problem gets just sweept away out of sight."
"The nation has an image to maintain." Bishop defended
"But doesn't it drive ya mad, doin' nothing?" the Doctor asked "Don't ya wanna get out there an' investigate?"
"Course I do." Bishop replied "But.." he slumped down in his chair "With all the crowds expected, we haven't got the manpower. Even if we did, this beyond anything we've ever seen. I just don't know any more. 20 years on the force, an' I don't even know where to start." he said dejectedly "We haven't the faintest clue what's going on."
The Time Lords both leaned forward "That could change." Gazelle offered
"How?"
The Doctor stood up "Start from the beginning. Tell us everyfink you know."
There were soon standing in front of a map. "We started finding 'em about a month ago." Bishop explained "Persons left sans visage. Heads just blank."
"But is there any sort of pattern?" the Doctor asked, flicking through some notes.
"It's spreading out from North London." Bishop replied "All over the city... Men, women, kids, grannies. Only real lead is there's been quite a large number in..."
"Florizel Street." the Doctor cut in, looking up from the notes.
"Is there any connection between the victims?" Gazelle asked "Anything they had in common with each other before all this happened?"
Bishop was about to answer when there was a knock on the door and one of Bishop's men entered the room "Found another one, sir." he said
"Good man, Crabtree." Bishop replied "Here we are, Doctor." he continued as Crabtree led a person with a blanket over their head into the room. "Take a good look, see what you can deduce."
Crabtree removed the blanket and both Time Lords' eyes widened in horror. "Rose!" Gazelle gasped. It was Rose, her face completely gone, like all the others.
"You two know 'er?" Bishop asked
"Know 'er?" the Doctor breathed "She.." he tailed off and he and Gazelle went closer to Rose.
"Oh, Rose. I'm so sorry." Gazelle murmured sadly "We shouldn't have left you."
"They found 'er in the street, apparently." Crabtree said to Bishop "Down by Damascus Road."
"Just abandoned." Bishop replied "That's unusual, that's the first one out in the open. Heaven 'elp us if something happens in public tomorrow for the big day, we'll have Torchwood on our backs and no mistake."
"They did what?" the Doctor spoke up
"I'm sorry?"
"They left 'er where?"
"Just in the street." Bishop replied
"In the street?" the Doctor stared "They left 'er in the street. They took 'er face, an' just chucked 'er out in the street. An' as a result that makes things simple. Very, very simple. D'ya know why?" he pulled his glasses off and turned to Bishop with a dark look in his eyes.
"No." Bishop replied
"Because now, Detective Inspector Bishop." the Doctor said furiously "There is no power on this Earth that will stop us!"
"We're gonna stop this, even if it's the last thing we ever do." Gazelle agreed
"Come on!" the Doctor said. He took Gazelle's hand and they strode determinedly out of the room.
It was dawn as the Time Lords and Bishop emerged from the yard. "The big day dawns." Bishop remarked
"I think we should talk to Tommy Connolly again." Gazelle said "He seemed to have an idea of what was happening."
"Right, let's pay a house call." the Doctor said grimly, and led the way.
They soon arrived at the Connolly house. The Doctor rang the doorbell and moments later Tommy answered. "Tommy, we need to talk." Gazelle said "We need to know exactly what happened in your house."
Tommy stepped outside, ready to help, when his father came storming out. "What the blazes d'you think you're doin'?" Eddie demanded
"I wanna help, dad." Tommy replied
"Mr Connolly..." the Doctor began, having no time for this vile excuse for a man.
"Shut your face you!" Eddie spat "Whoever you are! We can 'andle this ourselves!" he turned back to Tommy "Listen, you little twerp. You're hardly out of the bloomin' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain. People round here respect me. It matters what people fink!"
Tommy stared as a sudden realisation dawned on him "Is that why you did it, dad?" he asked
"What d'you mean, did what?"
"You ratted on gran." Tommy accused "How else would the Police know to look? Unless some coward told them."
"How dare you?!" Eddie spluttered "You fink I fought a war just so a mouthy little scum like you could me a coward?!" he fumed
But Tommy wasn't going to let him win this time "You don't get it, do you? You fought against fascism, remember? People telling you how to live, who you could be friends with, who you could fall in love with! Who could live and who 'ad to die! Don't you get it? You were fighting so that twerps like me could do what we want, say what we want. Now, you've become just like them. You've been informing on everyone, haven't you? Even Gran, all to protect your precious reputation!"
Just then, Rita came out, having heard everything "Eddie, is that true?" she glared
"I did it for us, Rita." Eddie tried to defend himself "She was filthy! A filthy, disgusting thing!"
"She's my mother!" Rita retorted "All the others you've informed on, all the people in our street, our friends!"
"I 'ad to." Eddie blustered "I.. I did the right thing."
"The right thing for us? Or for you, Eddie?" she snapped, then turned to her son "You go, Tommy. Go with the Doctor and Gazelle, and do some good. Get away from this house. It's poison! We've 'ad a ruddy monster under our roof alright, but it weren't my mother!" she went inside and slammed the door on her abusive husband.
"Rita!" Eddie pleaded, banging on the door.
"Come on, Tommy." Gazelle encouraged, holding out her hand. Tommy took it and she led him over to the Doctor and Bishop, then she turned to Eddie. "And one more thing, Mr Connolly." he turned to her and she promptly punched him in the face "That's for all the bullying you've no doubt subjected your family too, ya pompous, pathetic ape!" she spat and went off with the others.
"Nice one!" the Doctor praised her. Although he didn't approve of physical violence, there were times where he could make an exception, this was one of those times. He'd been greatly tempted to deck Eddie himself.
"Can't stand people like him." Gazelle muttered, rubbing her sore fist.
They were soon walking down the street, past people preparing for a party. "Tommy, tell us about that night." the Doctor urged "The night she changed."
"She was just watching the telly." Tommy replied
"Rose said it!" the Doctor realised "She guessed it straight away! Of course she did." he looked at all the aerials on the rooftops "All those aerials on one little street, 'ow come?"
"Bloke up the road, Mr Magpie. He's sellin' 'em cheap." Tommy answered
"Is he now?" Bishop frowned in realisation
"Magpie's marvellous tellies." Gazelle muttered, remembering seeing the man yesterday.
"Come on!" the Doctor urged, taking her hand and leading the way.
They soon reached Magpie's shop. The Doctor soniced the door open, and they all went in. "Ere, you can't do that!" Bishop protested
"I just did." the Doctor retorted "SHOP!" he shouted and stormed over to the counter, then began ringing the bell vigorously "IF YA HERE, COME OUT AN' TALK TO US, MAGPIE!" he demanded
"Maybe 'e's out." Tommy suggested
"Yeah, looks like it." Gazelle said, going behind the counter. She began looking through the drawers. Nothing suspicious, just a clutter of electrical bits, quite normal for an electricians. But then, she found something that didn't belong in a 1950's shop, a portable telly. "Hey, look at this." she said to the others, handing it the Doctor, who promptly licked it.
"Tastes like iron." he mused, putting it on the counter "Bakelite. Knocked together wiv Human hands, yes, but the design itself.." he nodded to Gazelle, who scanned it with her sonic.
"Well, whoever made it certainly knew what they were doing." she remarked, checking the results.
"That's incredible." Bishop said, looking at the telly "It's like a television, but portable. A portable televison."
The Time Lords didn't really pay much attention to that, Gazelle's scan had picked up something else. "It's not the only power source here." she said, holding her sonic up to try and find the other source. Suddenly, all the screens on the tellies in the shop came to life. The screens showed faces, no doubt belonging to all the people who'd had their faces stolen.
"Gran!" Tommy exclaimed, recognising one.
"Doctor, look." Gazelle pointed out another one. On it was Rose's face. She was mouthing 'Doctor! Gazelle!' urgently.
"We're on our way." the Doctor murmured
Just then, Magpie came out of the back room "What d'you think you're doing?"
The Doctor promptly stormed over to him "I want our friend restored!" he demanded "I fink that's beyond a little back street electrician, so who's really in charge here?!"
"Yoo hoo! I think that must be me!" a voice said and they all turned to see the Wire on one of the screens. "Ooh, this one's smart as paint."
"Is she talkin' to us?" Bishop blinked
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, ma'am, but I'm afraid you've brought this on yourselves." Magpie sighed "May I introduce you to my new friend?"
"Jolly nice to meet you." the Wire smirked
"Oh my God, it's 'er!" Bishop realised "That woman off the telly!"
"No, it's just using her image." Gazelle told him
"What.. What are you?" Tommy stared at the screen
"I'm the Wire. And I will gobble you up, pretty boy!" the Wire smirked "Every last morsel!" the picture suddenly turned into colour "And when I have feasted, I shall regain the corporeal body which my fellow kind denied me!" it sneered
"Good lord." Bishop stared "Colour television."
But the Doctor had more important things to think about "So your own people tried to stop you?" he questioned the Wire, keeping Gazelle behind him.
"They executed me. But I escaped, in this form. And fled across the stars." the Wire answered
"And now you're trapped in the television." the Doctor taunted
"Not for much longer." the Wire spat, the picture going black and white again.
"Is this what got my gran?" Tommy asked
"Yes, Tommy." Gazelle replied "This thing feeds off the brain's electrical activity."
"But it doesn't stop there." the Doctor sneered in disgust "It gorges itself like a great, over-fed pig! Takin' people's faces, their essence as it stuffs itself."
"And you let 'er do it, Magpie!" Bishop accused
"I had to." Magpie defended "She allowed me my face. She promised to release me at the time of manifestation."
"What does that mean?" Tommy wandered
"The appointed time." the Wire crowed "My crowning glory."
"The coronation!" Bishop realised
"For the first time in 'istory, millions of people gathered round a television set." the Doctor said grimly "But you're not strong enough yet, are you?" he taunted, unwisely moving closer to the screen "You can't do it all from here."
"So that's why it needs the portable telly." Gazelle nodded
"It needs somefink more powerful." the Doctor confirmed "That thing'll turn a big transmitter into a big receiver."
"What clever things you are." the Wire said "But why fret about it? Why not just relax? Kick off your shoes and enjoy the coronation. Believe me, you'll be glued to the screen." it taunted. The Doctor, realising what the Wire was about to do, quickly pushed Gazelle out of the way as bolts of red lightening shot out of the telly. "Hungry! Hungry!" the Wire cackled, as the bolts latched onto the Doctor's, Tommy's, and Bishop's faces "The Wire is hungry. Oh, this one is tasty!" it taunted as it consumed the Doctor's electrical energy "Oh, I'll have lashings of him! Delicious!"
Gazelle swiftly jumped to her feet and pointed her sonic at the screen "Leave them alone!" she growled, the same anger in her voice that she usually saved for the Daleks.
"Ah, armed!" the Wire exclaimed, suddenly alarmed "She's armed and clever. Withdraw! Withdraw!" the bolts retreated and the three males all slumped to the floor.
Gazelle rolled the Doctor's body over and saw to her horror that his face was now gone too, so was Bishop's. Tommy's was thankfully still there, he was just knocked out.
"The box, Magpie! The box!" the Wire ordered, taking advantage of the Time Lady's distraction, and Magpie promptly grabbed the portable telly. "Hold tight!" the Wire said, and the red bolts shot out of the Wire's telly and into the portable, the Wire's face appearing on it's screen. "Conduct me to my victory, Magpie." Magpie promptly hurried out of the shop.
Inside, Gazelle urgently tried to bring Tommy round. "Tommy, wake up. Come one, I need ya, boy!"
Tommy opened his eyes and sat up. "What 'appened?" he groaned
"We've lost the Doctor and the Inspector." she told him grimly "We're on our own now." Then she realised something "Where's Magpie?" she and Tommy hurried outside, but there was no sign of Magpie.
"We don't even know where to start looking." Tommy said dejectedly "It's too late."
"No, no, it's never too late." Gazelle said "We can't just give up." she was determined not to let this be a repeat of the Sycorax invasion. She was going to stop the Wire, even if it was the last thing she ever did, she was going to stop it from harming anyone else. "Ok, let's think. The Wire's got big plans. It's gonna need a big transmitter if it wants to scoff on millions of people. But why did it choose this place?" she pondered "Tommy, where in London are we?"
"Muswell Hill." Tommy replied
"Muswell Hill." Gazelle nodded, then realisation dawned on her "Oh, of course. Alexandra Palace!" she pointed at said landmark in the distance. "The biggest TV transmitter in North London. That's where Magpie's gone." an idea came to her "Right, Tommy, come on, we've got some shopping to do!" she went back inside the shop, Tommy right behind her.
They were both soon mooching through the shop, grabbing various electrical parts. "Is this what you want?" Tommy asked, holding something up.
"Perfect." Gazelle smiled at him, then picked up a gadget she'd assembled and handed it to him. "Right, just one more thing I need, come on." she led the way outside.
They went back to the TARDIS, and Gazelle raced inside. She came out a moment later with a gizmo "Ok, I've got it. Let's go!" she said, and they both hurried off towards Alexandra Palace. On the way, Gazelle hurriedly finished assembling her device. Tommy wisely decided not to question her. He had to admit, the woman certainly knew her electronics. Not even his dad was as skilled as she was.
She'd finished by the time they arrived at Alexandra Palace. "There!" Tommy said, pointing at the transmitter mast. There was Magpie, climbing up it with the portable telly.
"Right, come on!" Gazelle urged and led the way.
As they reached the gate, a guard tried to stop them "Wait, wait, wait! Where'd you fink you're..." Gazelle flashed her psychic paper at him as she passed "Oh, I'm very sorry, ma'am." he said hastily "Shouldn't you be at the coronation?"
"They're saving me a seat." she waved him off as she and Tommy hurried round the corner.
"Who'd he think you were?" Tommy asked
Gazelle looked at the paper "Uh, the Duchess of Royston apparently. Give it 12 years and you'll get the joke."
They raced into the control room, and Gazelle hastily plugged her device into the systems. "Right, Tommy, I need ya to keep this switched on." she told him "Don't let anyone or anything stop you. Everyone's counting on you. Ya gran, the Doctor, Rose, the whole country. D'ya understand?" he nodded "Good boy!" she smiled and raced off outside, a cable slung over her shoulder.
Once outside, Gazelle sped up the stairs to the transmitter tower. "You'll get yourself killed up there! Your Grace!" the guard called after her. She ignored him and carried on. When she got to the top of the stairs, she saw Magpie halfway up. Taking a deep breath, she began to climb up after him.
When she reached halfway up herself, she saw the red lightening beginning to shoot out from the tower. "Oh, feats. Feasting!" the Wire crowed in triumph "The Wire is feasting!"
"It's too late!" Magpie whimpered "It's too late for all of us!"
"I shall consume you, Time Lady." the Wire cackled, and shot a blast of red lightening straight at Gazelle. She promptly threw herself flat against the pylon. The bolt just skimmed her back, tearing her jacket, but she still held on.
"I won't let ya do this, Magpie!" she shouted, as she resumed her climb.
"Help me, Gazelle!" Magpie cried, as Gazelle reached him "It burns! It took my face, my soul!"
"You can not stop the Wire!" the Wire laughed "Soon I shall become manifest!" it send another blast of energy at the Time Lady, nearly making her lose her grip.
"No more." Magpie pleaded "No more of this! You promised me peace!"
"Then peace you shall have." the Wire retorted, and blasted him with a bolt, which completely vaporised him, while the Wire laughed manically. Gazelle went to touch the telly, but it shocked her.
"Nice try!" she said, undeterred. "Ya really shouldn't have done that to poor old Magpie, you've worn yourself out!" she grabbed the telly, which tried shocking the metalwork beneath her feet, but the rubber soles of her boots saved her and she didn't let go. "Rubber soles." she said "The Doctor and I swear by 'em!" and with that, she rammed her cable into the telly.
In the control room, Tommy jumped as the fuses on Gazelle's device blew.
"Oh dear. Has our little plan gone horribly wrong, Time Lady?" the Wire taunted
"Come on, Tommy." Gazelle muttered to herself "Don't let me down."
In the control room, Tommy managed to find a spare fuse. He quickly fitted it to Gazelle's device and plugged it back again.
Outside, the red lightning retracted back into the telly "Noooo!" the Wire screamed as it's plan failed.
"This program is cancelled." Gazelle smirked triumphantly "And I don't think anyone will miss it!" The Wire gave a last scream and the screen went back.
In the control room, Tommy was watching the coronation on one of the screens when Gazelle walked in, looking windswept and with a massive tear in the back of the jacket, but unharmed. "So, what did I miss?" she asked Tommy
"You're ok! What happened?" Tommy asked her
"I stopped it." she replied "That thing was an electrical creature, and although I'm not a genius like the Doctor, I do know a fair bit about electronics. I turned the reciever back into a transmitter, and I trapped the Wire in here." she gestured to her device. A tape popped out of it. "Oh, I think I've just invented home video 30 years early." she remarked, pulling it out. "Huh, Betamax." she laughed "Definitely no more trouble from the Wire, then!" she looked at the screens "Oh, look. God save the Queen, eh!"
Gazelle and Tommy made their way back towards Florizel Street. As they reached Magpie's shop, Gazelle saw a sight that immediately brought a massive smile to her face. There was the Doctor, his face fully restored. "Doctor!" she called. He turned to her and beamed widely. She promptly ran towards him and practically jumped into his arms. Then, they both kissed passionately. Tommy and Inspector Bishop both wisely let them have some privacy. After what seemed like ages, the two Time Lords finally broke apart. "Oh, welcome back, Theta." Gazelle beamed "I've missed that handsome face!"
"You did it, Remii." the Doctor smiled at her "You saved everyone, you beautiful, brilliant woman!" he kissed her again. His face had ended up inside one of the tellies in the shop, and he'd seen her working to assemble her device. He was very proud of her. She had been fantastic, to quote his previous incarnation. He moved his hand down her back, and his smile faded when he felt the tears in her jacket. "Remii, did that thing hurt you?" he asked angrily
"I'm fine, Theta." she reassured him "I'm gonna need a new jacket, though. C'mon, let's find Rose."
When Tommy and the Time Lords arrived at the police look-up, they could see all the people who'd had their faces stolen all returned to normal. A very relieved Tommy was reunited with his gran, while the Doctor and Gazelle soon found Rose. The trio didn't say anything, they just pulled each other into a group hug.
That afternoon, a street part was in full swing on Florizel Street. Tommy had convinced the time travellers to come, and so the Doctor and Gazelle walked down the street, their arms around each other and Rose walking behind them. "We could go down the Mall, join in wiv the crowds." Rose suggested
"Nah, that's just pomp an' circumstance." the Doctor said, helping himself to a slice of cake.
"This is history, right here." Gazelle added, taking a slice of cake herself.
"The domestic approach." Rose smirked
"Exactly." the Doctor replied
"Will it... That thing.. is it trapped for good? On video?" Rose asked Gazelle
"Yeah, should be." she replied "Though just to be safe, I think we'd better tape over it."
"Just leave that wiv me." Rose laughed "I'm always doin' that."
They reached a spot on the table where Tommy was standing. They all looked to see Eddie, a black eye on his face, coming out of the Connolly house with a suitcase, Rita having finally given him the elbow. "Good riddance." Tommy said
"That's it then, Tommy." the Doctor said "New monarch, new age, new world. No room for a man like Eddie Connolly."
"That's right. He deserves it." Tommy agreed
"Now you look after ya mom, Tommy." Gazelle said "You're the man of the house now."
"Yes, s'pose I am." Tommy shrugged
"And remember, you're nothing like your father. You're clever, you helped save the world. So don't stop there." Gazelle encouraged him "You look after ya family."
"I will." Tommy smiled and went off to join his mother and gran.
The time travellers all helped themselves to glasses of orange juice. They all chinked their glassed together, toasting their victory this day.
Author's notes: Although The Idiot's Lantern is one of series 2's weakest episodes, I've gotta say, I actually enjoyed adapting it. In the majority of AU fics I've read, either the OC gets their face stolen instead of Rose, or they both do. Thought I'd do something different, and have the Doctor get his face stolen. I know Lizziexx did that in her AU Academic series, but I think I could be the first person to have both Rose and the Doctor lose their faces. Hope you all like that little twist! I dropped in a couple of references to two other interests of mine in this chapter. Let's see if anyone can spot them. Hope you all like seeing a bit of badass Gazelle. See you all next time!