Rose wandered round the park with a huge grin on her face. To accompany the pig the Doctor had won her, she now had several other animals, a lollypop as big as her head and a plastic bag with a few goldfish swimming round in it.
"They are so cute!" she said, holding the bag before her eyes, "I'm going to call them Dory, Nemo and Marlin."
"I thought Nemo was a clown fish?" the Doctor pointed out.
"Does it matter?" Rose asked impatiently.
"Not at all," the Doctor said quickly.
"I think they're really cute names," Rose said, "Hey, there isn't a no pets policy on the TARDIS is there? I know you don't like domestics, but a few fish?"
She pouted at him as cutely as she could. Jokingly, the Doctor shielded his eyes.
"You know I can't resist that face!" he said, "and besides, I used to have a pet on the TARDIS once, a dog. A robotic one mind, called K9, sweet little thing."
"You? And a dog?" Rose asked.
"A robotic one!" the Doctor said.
Rose laughed. It was weird to hear the Doctor talk of his life before she had come onboard the TARDIS, but as he was nine hundred, give or take a century or two, it wasn't really surprising that he had had other friends, other companions, probably even relatives once upon a time.
Had he ever loved them, had they ever loved him? It seemed now incredibly selfish of her to assume that he was hers and hers alone. But that was what she wanted, to have him all to herself. It was bad enough having to share him with the current companions, let alone all the possibly hundreds that had gone before. And even if they were now old or dead, he had the power to bring them back to life. That would be one hell of a dinner party…
Rose tried to shake off such selfish thoughts and looked around for the next ride that she and the Doctor could go on. It would only be a matter of time before she became old news anyway, just another companion that he would tell stories about to someone else young and naive, just like her. For now he was all hers, and that would have to do.
Jack wandered around the game arena, getting a feel for the layout, shooting a few more of the little dinosaurs as he went. They didn't clock up many points, but it was funny to watch them fly backwards, blood spraying from their skinny little bodies. The graphics crew had done an incredible job.
He walked through the plant life, all appropriate for the time period they were recreating. It was almost like Jack was on another TARDIS adventure. Only this one wasn't real, and therefore was safe. It was a reassuring thought it a way, but kinda took the fun out of it a little. Jack contented himself with the added dimension of trying to clock up more points than Amber.
He came to a clearing, where the ferns on the ground were trodden lower than the others, a sure fire sign of activity and life, from human or dinosaur. It was hard to distinguish.
During his training at the Time Agency, Jack had been warned about Dinosaurs, and the risks of meddling with the pre-historic eras. Most trainee Time Agents died because they thought it would be fun to go right back in history to when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Their problem was they underestimated the intelligence of the creatures, thinking them to be simply brutal killing machines. They were that, but they were calculating, communicating masterminds as well. Jack wondered whether the programmers had bothered to stay true to this quality. He thought they probably had, as everything else was so top notch and meticulously programmed, from the blood stains on the land to the chirruping noises the little ones made as he put a bullet through them. With this in mind, Jack proceeded forwards with caution.
His instinct went into overdrive as he looked around, searching for a creature. He could hear the clicking of feet, teeth or claws, he wasn't quite sure which, but the sound seemed to be coming from everywhere. He crouched to the floor and turned around, trying to keep himself in the best position should he be attacked, while allowing himself to look all around. His heart was racing at a rate he hadn't previously thought possible and he was certain whatever was in the undergrowth, watching him, waiting for him to make a bad move, could smell it.
"Wait a minute, this is a game stupid!" Jack said to himself, and the creature pounced.
It was larger than the little lizards Jack had been popping off for the last ten minutes, but of the same basic shape. It had large, luminescent eyes that's narrowed as they fell upon him, and a huge clawed toe on each foot. It bowled Jack over then jumped back, hooting it's strange call, taunting him.
Jack reacted quickly, finding his gun and firing off bullets at the creature. It hissed as a bullet bounced off it's back, and squealed as one sunk into it's leg. It kept waiting though, not attacking. Jack grinned as he plugged bullet after bullet into the creature. The smile vanished when he pulled the trigger again, only to be met with a hollow click. The creature almost grinned.
In disbelief, Jack fired off his gun a few more times, each time the ominous click being the only sound it produced.
"They never told us that in the rules!" Jack said, feeling conned. The creature meerly cocked its head in glee, then walked closer, edging towatds him, tantalisingly slowly.
"Oh just hurry up and game over already..." Jack said.
The creature obliged and jumped towards him, making Jack's heart leap to his throat, beating so out of control he thought it might explode.
It's just a game... he tried to convince himself, but his head wasn't having it.
The creature edged forwards again, large teeth dripping with thick saliva as it contemplated what best way to eat him. Jack closed his eyes and waited for the end, concerned that it felt more like he was waiting to die than waiting for the games to end. He could smell the rank breath of the creature. It was toying with him, it knew it had him exactly where he wanted. Some geek in the control room was having a lot of fun right now...
Suddenly the blast of a shotgun ripped through the undergrowth and the creature squealed before being shot again and flying sideways away from Jack, landing with a thump, dead on the ground.
"Tricky little buggers aren't they?" a male voice,with a hint of anIrish accent,asked, "You're lucky I was in the area son, else you'd be mincemeat now. Never try and take on a Velociraptor unless you know what you're doing."
"Yeah, thanks," Jack said, "Damn gun ran right outta bullets - didn't think it would do that."
The man gave him an odd look.
"That's what guns do," he said.
"But this is VR, I thought you got one set that never run out, like on all the old video games, unlimited ammo."
"Who said anything about video games?" the man said, "What's your name, son? Think you might've taken a knock to the head - probably ought to get you out of here."
"I'm Jack, Captain Jack Harkness," Jack replied, feeling all the more uneasy.
"Well, I'm Quinn," the man replied, holding out a hand for Jack to shake, "I'm a seasoned veteran at this game, I'll get you out safe."
"Safe? I think I can manage to walk to the door..." Jack said.
"Without guns?" Quinn asked, "Bet you've been wasting all your ammo on the little ones haven't you? So many of the rookies do that... Well, come with me - I got a jeep just outside the woods, I'll drive you to the exit."
"I can walk," Jack said hotly, annoyed that his ability to walk was being questioned because he ran out of bullets.
"I don't want to see you get killed," Quinn said, pointing his shotgun in Jack's direction.
"This is a game!" Jack said, "What could possibly happen?"
Quinn regarded him closely.
"You think this is VR?" he asked slowly.
"Yes," Jack replied.
"I don't know what back waterpart of the Empireyou are from, but this isn't no virtual reality - the creatures in here are real as you and me," Quinn said.
"No I am not going on the teacups again!" Rose said, "I'd be sick!"
She wobbled on her feet as she walked away from the spinning ride, causing a laughing Doctor to hold her upright.
"How can you still walk in a straight line?" she asked.
"Superior balance!" the Doctor announced.
"Oh really?" Rose asked with a raised eyebrow, "What else have you got that's superior?"
"Many things," the Doctor said with a wink, "Dancing skills for one."
"You rate yourself," Rose said with a giggle.
"Someone has to rate me," the Doctor said, "It would be terrible for my self esteem if no one did!"
Rose giggled again, torn as to whether to tell him that she rated him. She decided it would be safer not to overinflate his already large head.
"Can we go on something smoother, gentler, please?" Rose asked.
"How about that?" the Doctor asked, pointing to a ride that tipped people right upside down
"How about no..." Rose said, looking round for a more suitable alternative, "Ooh! Let's go on that one!" she said, pointing to the Tunnel of Love ride.
"Rose..." the Doctor complained, though his hearts started beating faster.
"It's a boat, there will be pretty things to look at, come on - I need a sit down!" Rose said.
"Can't we sit down on that?" the Doctor asked, pointing at a rollercoaster. Rose turned pale at the thought.
"Later, give my stomach a chance to settle!" she said, "Remember, 'you're wish is my command'!"
"Just be careful what you wish for," the Doctor said under his breath as they walked towards the Tunnel of Love.
"History must have gone wrong again..." Jack said, "I'm sure this place was VR..."
"Dunno what you're talking about Jack," Quinn said, driving the army style jeep through the plains. He was an older man, probably of about sixty or so, with long white hair tied in a tight ponytail, and a collection of grizzly scars up his arm. He wore a waistcoat lined with pockets, each containing different sorts of supplies. He was every bit the hunter, "This place has always been real. They genetically engineer the creatures, close as they can to those portrayed in the films, then let you loose on them. There are supposed to be whole packs of those Velociraptors in here, as well as all your large herbivores, and supposedly one T-Rex, that's the one I'm after, I've played this game hundreds of times, each time I get a little bit closer."
"But if it is real, how do you intend to kill it?" Jack asked.
Quinn fumbled round with the tarpaulin over the back of the jeep, pulling it back to reveal a rocket launcher.
"Found that baby in an underground tunnel, hid it where only I could find it, pick it up every time I come in here then hunt around for the Rex. I've seen it a couple of times, I'm sure, but never in the open. I've certainly seen what it's done to other, less fortunate and experienced souls..."
"So I couldhave died?" Jack asked, "And there was me only worried about whether or not Amber would beat my score."
Jack suddenly jumped.
"Oh God, Amber!" he said panicked, "She doesn't know this isn't VR either..."
"You brought your girlfriend along with you?" Quinn asked, "Real romatic date."
"You've not met my girlfriend!" Jack bragged, "But you gotta help me find her..." he said more seriously, "she could get killed!"
"What does she look like?" Quin asked, taking out a pair of binoculars from the glove compartment and handing them to Jack.
"I... don't know," Jack said, remembering that Amber had shapeshifted as she ran off.
"You don't know?" Quinn asked.
"Long story!" Jack said, "let's just drive around and keep a look out!"
"I'm not wasting my time and money on a wild goose chase," Quinn said, "You're mad, Jack, that's the only explaination for all this, I'll keep you safe til my time's up then send you to a mental home, for your safety as much as anyone elses."
"I'm not mad! She's a shapeshifting alien from the year one million fourhundred thousand!" Jack said.
He realised too late this probably didn't do too much to help his case.
Amber had shifted her appearence completely. She was dressed in khaki trousers, a black top andhiking boots she had fashioned herself a brown leather gun holster, so her two handguns rested at her hips, her skin was light brown and her hair short and dark brown. In short, appart from her eyes, she was barely recogniseable.
She had gotten bored of the little dinosaurs some time ago, and was hunting around for something bigger. Much bigger. She had found a plain where several large herbivorees were grazing, but to try and hunt them would be suicide without better equipment, and there was no way she was going to risk losing to Jack just for the sake of killing a Stegosaurus.
Instead she walked through the undergrowth and trees, looking for a small predator, something that would clock up a few points. Ten minutes into her walk she found what she was looking for.
A Raptor was perched on a rock by a river, taking a drink and washing the blood from between it's teeth. Amber decided it was an ideal target, fast and deadly, but not too big that she risked losing. It was also alone, so she couldn't be overwhelmed by numbers.Taking out both her guns, she aimed and fired.
The Raptor jumped into the air as the bullet struck its leg. It roared then ran towards her. Amber fired a few more shots running backwards along the river, waiting for the creature to catch up. She ran until she could smell the breath of the Raptor. Its skin was thick and scaled. With the gun she had, she had about as much chance of killing it as she did trying to persuade it to clean its teeth. But she had a plan.
She waited until the Raptor pounced, right at the last minute, aiming her gun between its gaping jaws and firing. The bullet blasted through its head and out the other side, taking brain, blood and skull with it. The creature stumbled and rolled forwards, catching Amber's face with a claw as it fell to the floor, dead.
"Ouch," Amber said to herself, lifting a hand to her cheek. She was bleeding.
"Didn't know that happened in VR..." She mused to herself, but a much louder snarl distracted her attention.
Turning round, she saw a collossal Tyrannosaurus Rex dippiung its head into the river for a drink. She looked down at the guns in her hand. They would probably not even irritate it, but this was too much of an oppotunity to miss. She quickly looked round as the TRex looked at her, judging whether or not she was suitably threatening enough to bother with. Picking her route into a clear valley, Amber lined herself up, aimed her gun, and fired.
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