Thanks to SourTaco18 for following my story.
NicoleR85: thanks!
Alyssa closed her eyes, allowing the bubbles from the jacuzzi she was sitting in to soothe her body and let her mind drift away from certain annoying blondes. Speaking of the devil she thought, opening her eyes as she felt her presence nearby. "What do you want?" the red head asked with a grumble. She had no idea how Rose had managed to worm her way back into the TARDIS AND with Mickey too. Though Mickey she didn't mind so much.
"I came to apologise. I've treated you so badly and I am so, so sorry", Rose said with as much sincerity as she could muster. Deep down she was trying not to vomit at playing 'nice' toward the empath. But if that's what it took to stay in the TARDIS, then that's what she'll do.
Alyssa raised a brow "Do you think I'm stupid?" she asked "I can feel your emotions Rose. You may sound sorry but I know you're not", she got out of the jacuzzi and wrapped a towel around herself "as far as I'm concerned you don't deserve to have another chance". Alyssa then spun on her heel and walked off without another word. As soon as the red head was gone, Rose let out a shriek as the edge of the jacuzzi seemed to suddenly shift until it was under her feet and she fell in. She let out another shriek as the water was like ice!
An hour or so later…
The TARDIS appeared in an abandoned room and when the door opened, the Doctor was the first one out. He was then followed by Alyssa, Rose and Mickey. "It's a spaceship. Brilliant!" Mickey said happily as he stepped out of the TARDIS "I got a spaceship on my first go!"
"Doesn't look like anyone's home", Rose commented. Alyssa took in the room and its mess. While they did definitely appear to be alone, she could sense someone or something but it was incredibly faint.
"I'll do a quick scan in case there's anything dangerous", the Doctor assured them, going over to the control panel in the centre on the room.
"How far have we gone then?" Alyssa queried while the Time Lord pressed buttons.
"About three thousand years into your future, give or take", the Doctor replied. He pulls on a switch which turns the lights on. The humans looked up in awe as the roof gradually opened into a window showing them a spectacular view of the stars. "51st century. The Diagmar Cluster. You three are a long way from home. Two and a half galaxies", the Doctor explained, moving over to Alyssa, taking her hand.
The empath glanced at their interlinked hands and then up to the Doctor. A light dusting of pink appeared on her cheeks when she felt his emotions. They weren't quite what you'd expect from a friend. "It's beautiful", she remarked, turning her gaze back to the stars.
"I've seen better", the Doctor commented, looking at her. Alyssa met his eyes again and blushed even more. She cleared her throat, trying to will the redness from her cheeks.
"Mickey Smith meet the universe", Rose said, slinging her arm around his shoulders, trying to quash the bubble of jealousy that had welled up inside of her at this interaction "see anything you like?"
"It's so realistic!" he exclaimed.
The Doctor let go of Alyssa's hand and went back over to the control panel. The Lord rummaged around it, picking up bits of various equipment looking rather unimpressed. "Dear me, had some cowboys in here! Got a ton of repair work going on", the Time Lord said causally chucking down the piece in his hands casually as he notices a screen with a diagram. Alyssa went to have a look as did the other two humans. "Now that's odd. Look at that. All the warp engines are going...full capacity! There's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe… and we're not moving"
"Any other life signs?" Alyssa queried.
"None that the scans picked up", the Doctor replied.
"So where dd they all go?" Rose asked "We're in deep space. They didn't just nip out for a quick fag", she added as a joked.
"No, I've checked all the smoking pods", the Doctor said not getting the fact that Rose was joking. Alyssa shot a look at the blonde, sensing her amusement at the Time Lord's obliviousness to her joke. Rose was about to give the red head a smile but managed to stop herself just in time.
The Time Lord suddenly sniffed the air catching a whiff of something cooking. "Can you smell that?"
The three humans smelled the air as well "Yeah, someone's cooking", Rose agreed.
"Sunday roast, definitely", Mickey added. Alyssa highly doubted that someone was cooking a Sunday roast on a seemingly abandoned ship.
The Doctor presses something else and a door behind them slid open. The four walked through to see part of a wall and floor with 18th century décor.
"Well, there's something you don't see in your average spaceship. Eighteenth century! French", the Doctor said using his sonic on the ornate fireplace "Nice mantle. Not a hologram. It's not even a reproduction. This actually is an eighteenth century French fireplace. Double sided".
Alyssa touched the fireplace and frowned. "There's someone behind here", she stated before crouching down, peering through the flames "hello", she greeted when a young blond haired girl appeared on the other side.
"Hello", the girl responded.
"What's your name?" Alyssa asked as the Doctor crouched down next to her.
"Reinette", the girl replied.
"Reinette, that's a lovely name. I'm Alyssa ", Alyssa said introducing herself.
"Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?" the Doctor asked.
"In my bedroom", Reinette replied.
"And where's your bedroom? Where do you live, Reinette?" the Doctor questioned.
"Paris, of course!" Reinette answered wondering why he'd asked that.
"Paris, right!" the Doctor said nodding as if it should've been obvious.
"Monsieur, Madame, what are you doing in my fireplace?" Reinette enquired.
"Oh, it's just a routine fire check…" Alyssa raised a brow at the Doctor's answer "Can you tell me what year it is?" he asked.
"Of course I can. 1727", Reinette replied.
"Right, lovely!" the Doctor said happily "One of my favourites… August is rubbish though. Stay indoors. Okay, that's all for now. Thanks for your help. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fire".
"Goodnight Reinette", Alyssa said politely.
"Goodnight Monsieur, Madame"
"You said this was the fifty first century", Mickey said a little confused as Alyssa and the Doctor stood up.
"I also said this ship was generating enough power to punch a hole in the universe", the Doctor reminded him "I think we just found the hole. Must be a spatio-temporal hyperlink".
"What's that?" Mickey asked wondering if it was a term that he should know now that he was travelling with them.
"There's no such thing", Alyssa replied "he made that term up".
"I did not", the Doctor said "it is a term". However, when Alyssa shot him an incredulous look, he amended it "Ok, I did make it up".
"I know", the red head said with a grin.
"And on the other side of the magic door is France in 1727?" Rose asked.
"Well, she was speaking French. Right period French, too", the Doctor remarked.
"She was speaking English, I heard her!" Mickey cried.
"That's the TARDIS. Translates for ya", Rose explained putting an arm around his shoulder.
"Even French?!" Mickey exclaimed.
"Yes Mickey even French", the Doctor said. Alyssa swatted him on the arm.
"Rude", she scolded.
"Not ginger", the Doctor shot back with a playful tone.
"Why do I get the feeling that you'd be rude if you did ever become ginger?" she mused aloud and the Doctor shrugged.
"Guess only time will tell", he said. And if or when that time did come, he hoped the Alyssa would be there to see it. He moved closer to the fireplace and checked it over. "Ah, gotcha!" the Doctor cheered as he kneed the side of it, causing the fireplace to rotate.
"Doctor!" Rose called after him. but there was nothing that she or Alyssa or Mickey could do except watch the Time Lord disappear behind the into the room behind the fireplace.
"Now what do we do?" Rose asked, turning to Alyssa.
"We stay here until the Doctor comes back", the red head replied. They didn't have to wait long for the fireplace to swing back around revealing the Time Lord in question and a creepy looking figure dressed in what appeared to be clothes based on the era Reinette was in. The Doctor ran over to the wall, grabbed a gun-like object and sprayed its contents all over the figure. It convulsed on the spot before freezing completely.
"Excellent! Ice gun!" Mickey said, appreciatively.
"Fire extinguisher", the Doctor corrected, throwing the fire extinguisher to Rose, who catches it.
"Where did that thing come from?" she asked.
"Here" the Doctor replied.
"But it looked likes it belongs in the 18th century", Alyssa remarked, eyeing the figure without getting too close.
"That's because it's a disguise", the Doctor explained.
"Rather creepy if you ask me", the red head stated.
The Doctor pulled off the robot's wig to reveal a plastic egg shaped head containing ornate clockwork mechanism "Oh, you are beautiful!" he exclaimed "You know, it would be an act of vandalism to disassemble you" the Doctor got out his sonic "But that won't stop me" Before he could however, the robot teleported away "Short range teleport. Can't have got far. Could still be on board".
"What is it?" Rose asked.
"Don't go looking for it!" the Doctor said sternly "I'm going to check on Reinette. Do you want to come?" he asked Alyssa.
She shook her head "I'm going to stay here with Rose and Mickey", she replied.
"Alright", the Doctor said "Just…stay here". The trio watched him disappear with the fireplace. Rose glanced down at the fire extinguisher in her hands.
"Rose we're supposed to stay here", Alyssa said, knowing that she was planning to go find their mystery friend. Rose just looked at her "No, we're not looking for it" the read head insisted.
"You can stay here then", Rose said and walked off. Alyssa let out a frustrated noise.
"We better follow her to make sure she doesn't get into trouble", she muttered "better grab another fire extinguisher". Mickey took one from the wall and the pair took off after the blonde.
"Are you ok?" Mickey asked the empath as they walked, now having caught up to Rose.
"No, something doesn't feel right", Alyssa replied "I'm sensing people with us".
Rose looked around sharply but didn't see anyone "Can you sense ghosts?" she questioned, really hoping that wasn't the case.
"No", Alyssa answered "at least I don't think so".
"There's an eye in there!", Mickey suddenly exclaimed pointing at a camera mounted on the wall with his free hand "a real eye". He and the two females watched the eye retreat back into the wall.
"Can you hear that?" Rose asked, her ears picking up a faint heartbeat.
"Yeah, I can", Alyssa replied. Rose went over to a small circular cover in a bulkhead and tried to pry it off but it was too hot. "Let me", Alyssa said and Rose moved away to allow her to open it with her new powers, revealing a human heart.
"Oh my god", Rose gagged "that's a human heart".
Was this what I was sensing? Human parts inside the walls? Alyssa thought, disgusted. "Really wish I was sensing ghosts", she muttered, closing the cover. She, Rose and Mickey then left the eye and heart behind.
"Maybe it wasn't a real heart", the black man said hopefully.
"Of course it was a real heart", Rose said.
"Is this normal for you? Is this an average day?" Mickey asked looking around.
"I'm afraid Mickey there aren't any average days when you start travelling with the Doctor", Alyssa told him. They stop by a window with a view into a luxurious 18th century room.
"It's France again. We can see France", Mickey stated.
"I think we're looking through a mirror", Rose remarked.
"That's exactly what it is", Alyssa confirmed.
"Blimey, look at this guy. Who does he think he is?" Mickey asked when three men entered, one more fancily dressed than the other two.
"The King of France", the Doctor replied at the same time as Alyssa.
"Oh, here's trouble. What have you been up to?" Rose asked turning to him.
"Oh, this and that. Became the imaginary friend of a future French aristocrat…", the Doctor replied "picked a fight with a clockwork man…" a horse made a noise around the corner "Oh, and met a horse" she said when Arthur whinnied from around the corner.
"What's a horse doing on a spaceship?" Mickey questioned eyeing it as it came into view.
"Mickey, what's pre-Revolutionary France doing on a spaceship? Get a little perspective", the Doctor said.
"Mickey makes a good point Doctor", Alyssa said "its highly unusual to see a horse on a spaceship. So is this", she nodded to the window.
"This isn't the only window I've found. They're all over the place on this ship", the Doctor said "gateways into history. But not just any old history…" and older version of Reinette entered the room "hers. Time windows deliberately arranged along the life of one particular woman. A spaceship from the 51st stalking a woman from the eighteenth. Why?"
"Who is she?" Rose asked.
"Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, known to her friends as Reinette. One of the most accomplished women who ever lived", the Doctor answered.
"So has she got plans of being the Queen, then?" Rose questioned.
"No, Reinette becomes the king's mistress soon after the Yew Tree Ball", Alyssa explained.
"Oh, I get it. Camilla", Rose said. She and Mickey both laughed at that.
"I think this is the night they met. The night of the Yew Tree ball" the Doctor said after the king left "In no time at flat, she'll get herself established as his official mistress, with her own rooms at the palace. Even her own title. Madame de Pompadour".
"The Queen must have loved her", Rose commented as Reinette checked her reflection in the mirror/window.
"Oh, she did. They get on very well", the Doctor informed them.
"The King's wife and the King's girlfriend?" Mickey asked surprised.
"France. It's a different planet", the Doctor shrugged. He stiffened when he heard the tell-tale ticking of a clock. The Doctor snatched the fire extinguisher from Mickey and pushed the mirror around to step back into Reinette's world when she saw the clockwork robot in the room.
"Hello, Reinette. Hasn't time flown?" the Doctor said lightly.
"Fireplace man!" Reinette cried.
The Doctor smiled at her before spraying the robot with the fire extinguisher causing it to freeze up. He tossed the fire extinguisher to Mickey when he approached with Rose and Alyssa. The robot starts to click and whirr loudly.
"What's it doing?" Mickey asked.
"Switching back on. Melting the ice", the Doctor replied.
"And then what?" Mickey questioned.
"Then it kills everyone in the room", the Doctor replied. The clockwork robot's arm shot out to grab the Doctor by the throat but he jumped back "Focuses the mind, doesn't it? Who are you? Identify yourself" the clockwork robot woman cocked its head but didn't answer "Order it to answer me", the Doctor said to Reinette.
"Why should it listen to me?" Reinette asked.
"I don't know", the Doctor replied "but it did when you were a little girl. Let's see if you've still got it Reinette".
"Answer the Doctor's question. Answer any and all questions put to you", the woman instructed the robot. It lowered its arm and answered the Doctor's question.
"I am repair droid seven"
"What happened to the ship, then?" the Doctor asked "There was a lot of damage".
"Ion storm. Eighty two percent systems failure", the robot explained.
"That ship hasn't moved in over a year. What's taken you so long?" the Time Lord asked.
"We did not have the parts"
"Always comes down to that, doesn't it? The parts", Mickey said with a laugh.
"What's happened to the crew? Where are they?" the Doctor pressed.
"We did not have the parts", the robot repeated.
"Oh my god…", Alyssa breathed, her stomach rolling at what the robot was telling them. That along with the eye and heart they found…it was no denying it…the crew was used for parts in the ship. "They used the crew"
"It was just doing what it was programmed to. Repairing the ship any way it can, with whatever it could find" the Doctor added "No one told it the crew weren't on the menu" he turned to Rose "What did you say the flight deck smelt of?"
"Someone cooking…" Rose said quietly.
The Doctor turned back to the robot "But what are you doing here? You've opened up time windows. That takes colossal energy. Why come here? You could have gone to your repair yard. Instead you come to eighteenth century France? Why?" he demanded.
"One more part is required", the robot answered.
"Then why haven't you taken it?" the Doctor asked. The robot jerked its head towards Reinette.
"She is incomplete", the robot replied.
"What, so, that's the plan, then. Just keep opening up more and more time windows, scanning her brain, checking to see if she's 'done yet'?" the Doctor stated.
"Why her though?" Alyssa questioned "what does Reinette have that you need?"
"We are the same", the robot answered.
"We are not the same. We are in no sense the same!" Reinette protested.
"We are the same", the robot repeated. Reinette advanced, angry.
"Get out of here! Get out of here this instant!" she demanded and the robot teleports away.
"It's back on the ship. Rose, take Mickey and Arthur. Get after it. Follow it. Don't approach it, just watch what it does", the Doctor instructed.
"Arthur?" Rose asked raising her eyebrows questioningly.
"Good name for a horse", the Doctor replied.
"No, you're not keeping the horse", Rose said, exasperated.
"I let you keep Mickey", the Doctor retorted "Now go! Go! Go!" Mickey and Rose went back through to the ship.
"I'm going to go with them", Alyssa said "just to make sure they're safe".
The Doctor stopped her from going through after the others "please be careful", he said.
"I will", Alyssa promised. The Doctor watched her disappear through the mirror, pushing back behind her.
"Can you sense the robot?" Mickey asked Alyssa as they walked, keeping their eyes open for it.
"No", Alyssa replied, shaking her head "but I could try". She closed her eyes and focused. Her eyes flew open a second later when she heard a shriek. Two droids had come up behind Rose and Mickey, jabbing them in the neck with needles, the pair slumping unconscious on floor. A third robot appeared behind and stuck Alyssa with a needle too.
In her panic she mentally screamed for the Time Lord before whatever was in the needle took effect and she was unconscious too. Little did she know that he'd heard her mental cry for help.
When Alyssa came to, she discovered that she was strapped to a slanted table. She noticed Rose and Mickey strapped on tables just like she was. "You two ok?" she asked them after giving the robots a glare.
"Aside from being shackled to this table to robots…I'm great", Rose sassed "you think you can get us out?"
"Preferably before they chop us up into little pieces", Mickey added.
"Chop us up?" Alyssa asked.
"Ali talk to me, please !" the Doctor shouted loudly in her mind, making her jump.
"Doctor? How is this possible?" Alyssa asked.
"They want to use us in the ship. Says we're compatible", Mickey answered, not knowing that she was talking to the Doctor telepathically.
"I don't know" the Doctor admitted. It was as much of a surprise to her as it is for him "I've been trying to contact you since I heard you scream. Whats happening?"
"Some bots have taken us captive", Alyssa replied, wiggling her wrists "according to Mickey they want to chop us up and use us in the ship".
"WHAT!?" the empath flinched at the volume of his voice in her head "hold on, I'm on my way".
"What do you mean we're compatible?" Alyssa questioned the robots.
"You are compatible", the robot dressed in 18th century garb, stepping up to Rose's table.
"Yes, but why?" Alyssa pressed.
"You have the required parts", another robot replied moving to Mickey's table.
"I think you're mistaken", Alyssa said "if you let us go, I'll leave you all in one piece".
"I don't think they like your suggestion", Rose said as the robot by her table extends the blade from her hand.
"Definitely not", Mickey agreed the robot by his table did the same thing. Neither of the metal menaces where able to touch the pair since Alyssa was using her powers on them. The red head jerked her head, flinging the droid away from the blonde. She flinched from the pain in her head which she always got from using her abilities. Alyssa did the same to the droid by Mickey's table.
As she fought to keep herself from passing out, a droid dressed as a noble man approached her table. "Your mind is powerful", it stated "it is compatible".
Alyssa laughed "Really? Well I'm kinda using my brain at the moment", she said sarcastically.
"Your brain is compatible", the robot repeated sliding its blade out from its hand.
"Look if you don't want to end up like your friends then you'll back off", Alyssa warned.
"Your brain is compatible", the robot repeated for the third time.
"Yeah you said that already", Alyssa snapped really struggling to keep her eyes open due to her throbbing head.
"Ali!" Mickey shouted when the red head's eyes closed. As the blade touched Alyssa's cheek, drunken singing could be heard nearby. Then the Doctor swayed in, carrying a goblet and wearing his tie around his head. "And still have begged for more. I could've spread my wings and done a thou" the Time Lord sung "Have you met the French? My god, they know how to party" the Doctor said sounding a little drunk. When he saw Alyssa unconscious with a droid standing over her holding a blade to her face, his drunken façade slipped slightly to show concern for her.
"Oh, look at what the cat dragged in", Rose said, sarcastically.
"Oh, you need to lighten up Rose", the Doctor said keeping up the pretence of being drunk.
"Where've you been? They almost harmed Ali" Mickey added.
"Well, among other things, I think just invented the banana daiquiri a few centuries early. Do you know, they've never even seen a banana before?" the Doctor said before turning to the droid by Alyssa's table. "Oh ho, ho, ho, ho, brilliant. It's you. You're my favourite, you are. You are the best! Do you know why? Because you're so thick. You're Mister Thick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania. And so's your dad" he looked at Mickey and Rose "Do you know what they were scanning Reinette's brain for? Her milometer. They want to know how old she is. Know why? Because this ship is thirty seven years old, and they think that when Reinette is thirty seven, when she's complete, then her brain will be compatible".
The Doctor turned back to the droid "So, that's what you're missing, isn't it, hmm? Command circuit. Your computer. Your ship needs a brain. And for some reason, God knows what, only the brain of Madame de Pompadour will do", he said getting right up to the droid.
"Their brains are compatible", it said.
"Their brains? I only mentioned Reinette's", the Doctor said confused.
"It said that Ali's brain was compatible too", Mickey added.
"Compatible? If you believe that, you probably believe this is a glass of wine", the Doctor said before removing the droid's mask and pouring the contents of the goblet over its head. "Multigrain anti-oil. If it moves, it doesn't", he explained as the droid seized up. The remaining droids advanced, with the exception of the two Alyssa had damaged and the one the Doctor damaged. The Time Lord reached over to a nearby lever and pulled it down, deactivating the droids. The Doctor then released Rose, Mickey with his sonic. He went back to the table that Alyssa was strapped to and released her as well.
"Is she going to be ok?" Mickey asked, worriedly when the Doctor picked up the unconscious woman. He'd seen the toll it had taken on Alyssa when she used it on the Krillitane.
"She'll be fine in a while", the Doctor replied carrying Alyssa to the TARDIS that was on the other side of the room. He took her to her bedroom where the door swung open as he approached with the red haired woman in his arms. The Time Lord laid her down on her bed. "Ali I'm sorry", he said caressing her cheek. He should've been there quicker! If he had been then she wouldn't need to use her gifts to save herself and the others.
"Reinette is still in danger", Rose spoke up from the doorway.
The Doctor sighed "I can't leave her…not like this", he said, looking at the empath.
"I can look after her", Mickey offered, joining Rose in the doorway "And Rose can help you".
"Sounds like a good idea", Rose hastily agreed. This was perfect! Some alone time with the Doctor.
"Thank you Mickey", the Doctor said, grateful. He got up and Mickey took his place on the edge of the bed. The Time Lord and Rose then left the bedroom.
"Think you're gonna have to work on that little trick", the young man remarked "you do that again, the Doctor really is gonna go spare". The red head didn't respond, she just lay there, unconscious.