Chapter 2

"You borrowed a child?" Clara asked incredulously as she stepped inside the Tardis, leaving the rainy school yard of Coal Hill Secondary School behind her as she closed the door. It was after school hours and her students had gone home long ago. "Doctor, you can't just borrow a child when you feel like it."

"Sorry." The Doctor paused for a second with his hands on the Tardis' control panel and gave her a look . "I loaned her."

"You can't do that either," she muttered. Out loud, however, she said: "Where are her parents? Don't they miss her?"

But the Doctor dodged her questions and kept running around the control room preparing for their journey. Clara sighed and put down her raincoat and bag on the floor. Then she approached the child who was sitting nearby, busy painting with her watercolors.

"Hi, Lily. My name is Clara," she said, carefully so as not to frighten the child.

She didn't need to worry. The little girl looked up at her with a big smile, broadcasting two missing front teeth.

"Look at my painting," she said. "This is mom, dad and the Doctor."

She pointed in turn at each of the blurred figures on her drawing. The "dad" and the "Doctor" figures looked almost identical.

"That's lovely," Clara said and returned the girl's smile. "Where are they? It looks like they're on a beach."

But Lily had no time to answer for in that moment the Tardis began to hiss and whistle and rumble and they were off into the unknown.

"Welcome to Starcontrol 2000," the Doctor announced a few moments later when everything had settled down again. "I hope we're in time for tea. My friend Bobby makes the best scones in the galaxy."

The Doctor started off towards the doors and gestured towards Clara and Lily to follow him.

Starcontrol 2000 was shaped like a gigant snowflake with delicately structured corridors running criss cross through its main body. The space station's walls, ceiling and floor were all dressed in pristine white that shimmered in the soft light. The place was huge, and completely empty as far as Clara could see.

"Computer, please locate Bobby," said the Doctor.

The computer took a moment, then replied.

"First Starcontrol Officer Bobby is having afternoon tea in the Observatory."

Then it added more briskly.

"And you, sir, are NOT invited."

"Well, that's rude," the Doctor grumbled with a frown. "Computer. Tell him it is his old friend, the Doctor."

No answer.

"Odd..." The Doctor shrugged. "Well, luckily I think I remember the way since last time. It's this way..."

He started walking down one corridor, then paused and walked back.

"No, this way..."

He started off in the opposite direction but changed his mind after just a couple of meters. With a frown he stared down a third corridor. Then nodded to himself.

"This way, for sure it is this way. Come on, Clara. And you too, Lily, don't drag your feet. You'll want to eat those scones while they're still warm."

Half an hour later they reached the observatory which was located on the space station's top floor. It was a large, circular room and its walls and ceiling was made up completely of glass. When you entered you got a feeling that you stepped right out into space and that if you just stretched out one arm you would be able to tickle the stars with your fingers.

"It's beautiful," Lily whispered and Clara couldn't help but agree. Despite all of her travels with the Doctor she had never experienced space like this before. So close.

The only thing that ruined the experience somewhat was the little, green man in the middle of the room who angrily put down his tea cup when the trio entered. Bobby, Clara assumed.

"Thief!" the little man cried and pointed a crooked finger towards the Doctor. His two antlers shook with anger. "Thief! How dare you show your face here again. Any of your faces!"

The little man, Bobby, raised his hand and threw the teacup at them.