CHAPTER 4
VACATION
"That attack was quite a spectacle, wasn't it?" l'X'el remarked as he leaned back in his seat, having managed to stabilize the system again.
"The ship would've flown into the temporal corridor without the aid of a pitched battle," K'ell'k remarked. "Did you have to destroy all those ships?"
l'X'el gave him an annoyed look. "Why are you blaming me? I just used an historic event —Well, it'll become an historic event, anyway. It's the outcome that was only…um,slightly altered."
"What! You're not allowed to do that!" K'ell'k exclaimed, turning back to the globe with a horrified look on his face.
l'X'el gave him a knowing look. "Those ships weren't Sharks, Kay. They were sent by—" He broke off and pointed upwards.
K'ell'k looked up and then stiffened, turning sharply to his brother. "You interfered with them? Are you crazy?" he said in a horrified whisper. "Now we're really in trouble."
The Doctor made some final adjustments to the controls while waiting for his companion to return to the console room. He'd had a general idea as to the time zone when they first landed, but was startled to learn it was the year 2000. Why can't I get away from twentieth century Earth? he wondered.
Mel finally arrived, pulling a cartload of luggage through the interior door. She was still a bit surprised that she had managed to get the Doctor to agree to her short vacation while he indulged himself in his research. The Time Lord had not seemed too keen on the idea until she playfully pointed out that he would be spared her exercise and dietary regimen while she was gone. She had a childhood friend who had relocated to the United States after graduating from University, which to her had been only a few short months ago. She had been surprised to learn that eleven years had passed since that time. Thanks to the wonders of time travel, the Doctor had been able make a quick temporal jump back to the beginning of the year, allowing her to locate and then contact her friend to see if she might arrange a visit. To Mel's delight, her friend was more than agreeable to this, since she had missed their ten-year reunion that had taken place in December of 1999. A quick jump back to their original coordinates allowed Mel to arrive on time for her prearranged visit.
The Doctor straightened, an amused smile coming to his face. "You're sure you're only staying two weeks?" he asked, eyeing the contents of the cart.
"Now don't start with me, Doctor," Mel chided playfully. "I don't have bottomless pockets like you."
"No, only a bottomless handbag. I've seen what you women carry in one of those. It's amazing you can find anything."
"Rather like you and the TARDIS."
The Time Lord accepted defeat and grinned. "Touché." He held out a small stack of documents. "Well, here's something else for your bottomless handbag."
"What are those?"
"Your updated passport, for a start. I thought it might come in useful. I also thought you might like a bit of spending money. So while you were calling your friend in January I had a credit card issued in your name on my London account. You have a credit limit that's the U.S. equivalent of one hundred thousand dollars, which I hope you won't take upon yourself to max out, as they say here in the States. There's also five hundred dollars cash for spending money. Small bills, of course."
Mel was so stunned that the Doctor had even realized she would need money she stood staring as the items were placed in her hands. "Doctor, I'm…I'm…speechless. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Just wanted to make sure you enjoyed yourself."
Glancing at the viewer, Mel scowled. "Where are we?"
"The main building of one of Florida's numerous ports of entry. You've just arrived from my private island in the Caribbean via my private yacht. At least, that's what you can tell them in Customs when you go through. That way there'll be no awkward questions about your not being on any passenger manifests."
"You seem to've thought of everything," his companion complimented.
The Time Lord gave a knowing smile. "I've a lot of experience with awkward questions."
Mel gave him a sideways glance, throwing a meaning look in the direction of her exercise equipment. "You're not trying to get rid of me, are you?"
"Perish the thought!" the Doctor exclaimed playfully. "I'll be back for you in two weeks. Cross my hearts." Holding up what looked like a small blue ball, he added, "And just to be certain, take the recall beacon. Then if I am late, you can just beep me."
Mel could not help but smile as the device was added to the other items. She had no doubt that the Doctor would be back in two weeks, but wondered how much time this would be for him. Would he jump ahead in time when he finished his research? Or would he get involved in an adventure that would take him light years away for days or even weeks?
The Doctor pushed the cart of luggage out the main doors, transferring the cases to another that belonged to the port. He returned to the console room to see Mel still standing beside the console. "Well, come on. You can't visit your friend from in here."
"Doctor, how do I explain the fact that I don't look any older? Paige mentioned the reunion last year. She said I was there. It's her past, but my future." Shaking her head, Mel sighed. "I thought I was used to time travel. It never occurred to me that I'd…well, skip along my own timeline like this."
The Doctor frowned, inwardly wishing his companion had mentioned this little wrinkle earlier. "Was your friend at this reunion?"
"No. She couldn't…." Mel caught her breath, realizing what the Doctor was getting at. "She won't know if I've changed or not, will she?"
The Doctor shook his head. Suddenly dozens of objections were screaming inside his head, arguing the pros and cons of allowing his relatively inexperienced companion to leave under these circumstances. Mel was extremely intelligent and knew the dangers of letting too much information slip, but did she truly realize the dangers of her learning too much from her own future? On the other hand there was the Doctor's personal future and the looming shadow of the Valyard. What if Mel decided to stay on Earth before the encounter with the Hyperion III and all he knew that would follow? Would he still be able to avoid moving down the dark path he feared the most? Alter his own personal future?
Before the Time Lord knew what was happening he was jolted from his reverie by Mel who was suddenly hugging him. "Thank you, Doctor," she said happily. With an enormous grin on her face, she bounded through the door. "I'll buy you some tacky sunglasses to go with that coat!" she called over her shoulder.
The Doctor tried to look disapproving, but found himself caught up in his companion's enthusiasm. Turning, he hit the door lever as he circled around the console. "Now for my vacation," he muttered as he hit the dematerialization switch. With a satisfied smile on his face, he crossed to the exercise bike and threw a towel over it.
The brothers watched as the Doctor's TARDIS materialized at the Earth seaport a full week ahead of the arrival of the out of control SILVER TRIUMPH.
"He missed the entry window," K'ell'k moaned.
"Oh, K'ell'k, will you stop whining," l'X'el replied. "You said that when he went back to arrange his companion's vacation, and again when he went to pick up her paperwork. I've left a strong enough trace for him to find. The Doctor won't be interested if it's too easy."
K'ell'k sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I still don't believe that's really the Doctor." He held up his hands when his brother sighed dramatically. "I know, I know. You told me he regenerated. But…he's so…so…young."
"Only in appearance, Kay. Remember, I did a lot of research. I found out a lot more about him than the stories tell."
"I still say you're trying to be too clever."
"I don't know why I brought you along," l'X'el moaned. "You're such a pessimist."
"That's exactly why you brought me," K'ell'k reminded. "The Doctor is caught up in his enthusiasm right now. What happens when his enthusiasm fades?"
l'X'el smiled knowingly but said nothing.