Disclaimers:
Lara Croft and Natla © Core Design
Doctor Who (and all related characters and items) © BBC
All other characters (historical ones like the city of Babylon and their famous king) are from real life
Pride of Babylon
By Timon Constantine
Part I
Nabu-kudur-usur (his Babylonian name. Included in as a historical and a bit of fun fact. Henceforth his name shall be shown in this story as the more commonly known: "Nebuchadnezzar") sat in his throne in Babylon. Consorts walked back and forth and Nebuchadnezzar paid them no mind. All he cared about was his newly made garden to which he called the "Hanging Gardens of Babylon." It was his pride and joy and his ultimate achievement. It was exceedingly beautiful to gaze upon. Only he and one or two high companions knew its real secret, however. He was quite determined to take the secret to his grave, if need be.
"Your highness!" one guard said, "A Lady Natla wishes to have a conference with you." (Note: although technically they'd be speaking their native tongue, I am putting it here in English for obvious reasons)
"What is her business?" Nebuchadnezzar questioned.
"She will not dispense of that information until she is in your presence." The guard answered. Nebuchadnezzar thought deeply for a moment before allowing this Lady Natla in. Natla walked in with definite air, ready to speak with King Nebuchadnezzar. When she faced him, she knelt to her knee to add the effect and get on his good side so that her plan could go more smoothly.
"What is your business with me, Lady Natla?" Nebuchadnezzar asked. Natla gave a small evil smirk.
In a small room adorned with a metallic wall stood a strange crystal surrounded by a special brand of glass which was connected to a machine in the center of the room. Currently, it was pulsating and moving up and down. One lone, humanoid figure lay on the floor nearby, playing chess with a robot dog.
"C-three, master." The robot dog chimed out.
"You're inviting the Marshall Attack, K-9!" The human warned.
"It has been refuted many times before, master." K-9 said.
"As you will, K-9. I prefer the attack to the defense, so have at you! D-5."
"Doctor, now that the Key to Time has been assembled and that whole ordeal is behind us, what are we going to do for fun?" Romana asked as she entered the room.
"I always found chess a source of amusement and fun." The Doctor said as K-9 calculated possible moves.
"But you have the patient mind for it, Doctor." Romana joked.
"E takes D-5, Master." K-9 said. The Doctor knew his response.
"Knight takes D-5." – Doctor
"Knight takes E-5." – K-9
"Knight takes E-5." – Doctor
"Rook takes E-5." – K-9
"Anyway, as I was saying," Romana cut in, "where is the TARDIS headed?
"Oh, to Earth." The Doctor muttered out before proclaiming his next move, "C-6."
"Where and when, Doctor?" Romana questioned.
"Well, at first I thought I'd take you to real Babylonian times. But I found we have no clothes for that time period. So I settled for second best." The Doctor said, answering K-9's Rook E-1 with Bishop D-6.
Lara Croft approached the Holy Grail slowly, making sure for no final traps. It was within her grasp, the one item to rule all others. And as such, she knew once she grabbed it, something bad would happen. Or perhaps even if she took it, she could not take it outside the realm of its bastion.
It was always something like that. With a sigh, Lara took the Grail and braced herself. Nothing happened… Lara let out a sigh of relief as she started out. Once she grossed the high arch doorway, however, an earthquake began. With a curse under her breath, Lara sped down the crumbling highways. She kept the Grail close to her as a plethora of gravel and various stones hit her body.
Outside, as the earthquake could be felt, Lara's assistant ran off. A few seconds later, a London 20th century police box started to materialize from thin air. As it finished, Lara stumbled out, coughing violently. She did not notice the police box nor the man and woman who walked out yet for she was too busy coughing.
"That's a violent cough you got there, miss," The Doctor started, kneeling down beside Lara, "Perhaps we can help you with that?" Lara stopped coughing long enough to examine the man and woman.
"What are you two doing here?" Lara asked.
"Oh, just traveling, for the most part." The Doctor said truthfully.
"What's that you're holding?" Romana indicated the Grail.
"It's the Holy Grail." Lara said. The Doctor grabbed it and looked it over.
"Very intricate cup you found, miss, but I'm afraid it's not the Holy Grail." The Doctor said, idly tossing it over his shoulder. Lara's eyes widened and made a grasp for it. Romana cut it (for she was behind the Doctor) and looked it over herself.
"Yes, Doctor, the materials I can see on this cup are way too new for the time of Christ. If I remember Christian beliefs on the time." Romana said. Lara glared at the Doctor.
"And how do you know for certain? I just went through Hell having to get that bloody thing!" Lara let out.
"Yes, what better to heighten the illusion, don't you think?" The Doctor said briefly, "And I know for I have experience in such things."
"And who exactly are you?" Lara demanded.
"I'm simply a traveler. I'm known as the Doctor. This is my companion, Romana." The Doctor informed Lara.
"Alright, Doctor," Lara said, getting up, "What are you doing here of all places?"
"Just traveling, wishing to see the Hanging Gardens of Babylon." The Doctor said.
"That was my next place to go, coincidentally." Lara muttered out.
"Oh? Do you wish to travel with us?" Romana asked.
Lara, Romana, and the Doctor overlooked the famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
"It's beautiful, ain't it, Doctor?" Romana said.
"Quite, Romana." The Doctor answered simply. Lara remained quiet, studying the Gardens closely to find a way to get into them.
"Say Lara," Romana started, "Why were you heading here?"
"Legend holds that the Gardens hold a dark secret. I wish to see if it is true." Lara informed Romana.
"Well, we could either ask around, or sneak into the Gardens for a closer look." The Doctor said.
"There are guards everywhere. Perhaps better at night?" Lara suggested.
"Or we could go now via my TARDIS." The Doctor said back.
"Your what?"
"Holy mother!" Lara said as she entered the TARDIS behind the Doctor and Romana (Note: For those of you that do not know, the Doctor's TARDIS is the 20th century London police box).
"Yes, it's bigger in the inside than the outside." The Doctor said for Lara with a soft chuckle.
"But that's not possible!" Lara muttered out.
"Oh, but it is. You see, it's dimensionally transcendental." The Doctor explained briefly, "It's all rather complicated and I'd rather not go into it."
"I see…" Lara let out.
"I'm sure you don't, but it's nice of you to try. Now, just to set the right coordinates and we should be in the Hanging Gardens in a jiffy."
The TARDIS rematerialized within the heart of the Hanging Gardens. Lara came out first, having not found the Holy Grail giving her ambition to find the secret of the Hanging Gardens. But then she saw a peculiar drawing on a nearby wall. It was of Natla!
Perplexed, Lara approached to view it closer. Suddenly, the floor underneath her flew open and Lara fell through!
To Be Continued…