"RIGHT THEN. WHERE DO you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time. It's your choice. What's it going to be?" He was tossing a gadget up and down in one hand while he asked the two girls where the next adventure was going to be.
Rose made it up the ramp and looked over at Lyla, who was lounging back in the Captain's chair. Lyla smiled at Rose mischievously, "Forwards."
A small laugh escaped Lyla when both her and Rose answered at the same time. A small shake of the head and roll of the eyes was Rose's reply to her friend.
He set down the bouncing gadget, flipped two switches and looked back up to the girls, ready to fulfill the request. "How far?"
"10,000 years," Lyla got up from the chair and ambled over to the other two occupants.
He spun a wheel, pulled a lever, and turned a dial. As soon as the last dial was turned the Tardis started to move through the vortex. The occupants held tightly to the console as the ship shook and rumbled toward the future.
The Tardis landed and the Doctor turned the dial back to where it was originally. He straightened and gestured toward the Tardis door, "There you go. Step outside those doors, it's the year 12,005, the new Roman Empire."
"You're kidding," fascination written all over Rose's face.
Lyla looked longingly at the doors, desperately wanting to see what 12,005 held, but she knew that they needed to end up 5 billion years further in the future to stick to timelines. She looked back at the Doctor and saw him looking at her waiting for a response, "You think you're so impressive." Lyla gave him a cheeky grin.
"I am so impressive," he looked affronted at the wild haired girl.
"Prove it," she said back with a wink and lowered eyes. No one told me that I can't have fun and mess with him. And by mess…. I mean flirt. Cause he was stupidly cute when he was all flustered.
A faint tint of red rose up his neck and ears, "Right then, you asked for it. I know exactly where to go." He spun the wheel furiously forward and pumped what looked like a bicycle pump several times and turned the dial once more. "Hold on!" The Tardis flew through the vortex and with a final dial turn and ring of a bell, just to show off, he stood tall and gestured grandly toward the door.
"Where are we? What's out there?" Rose asked while looking back and forth from the door to the Doctor. Lyla was already moving with a bounce in her step as she reached the door and stepped out into a large open room. God, it's beautiful, she sighed. This architecture. T.V does not give it justice. She walked down the steps and stood before the shutters, waiting to see the wonder behind it.
Rose was quick to follow Lyla but stopped. Shortly after Rose came through, the Doctor followed and headed toward a control panel. He flashed his sonic screwdriver at the controls and a few beeps later and the shutters over the windows open to give the room a shockingly beautiful view of the earth and sun. Wow. I got the whole world in my hands.
The Doctor silently walked up behind his curly-haired companion and spoke softly to the two women. "You lot," Lyla jumped a bit when the Doctor started talking, not noticing his position had become so close to her. "You spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids." All eyes still gazed upon the earth. "But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year 5.5/apple/26. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day," he stopped and looked at his watch for a couple of seconds. Rose looked over at him, but Lyla's eyes never left the earth and sun in front of her. I never thought I would be here. Get to see this. The sun gave a flare as he finished with, "This is the day the sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."
Lyla gave a bone shuttering sigh as she stared upon the expanding sun. Her thoughts were far away in a different universe. "Did you know that I wanted to be an astronomer?" Lyla said softly. What are the fucking odds that I am the one to be here and to fix whatever happened. Afraid she would break if she spoke any louder as she gave a little of herself to her new travel partners, "Back when I was little. I would stare at the stars laying on an old trampoline that we had in the back yard. My dad would be lying beside me and he would ask me, 'What do you see up there sweetheart?''' She could hear her dad talking softly as they admired the moon and stars while lying on the trampoline on a cool May summer night. "Being just a kid, I would answer back, 'Just the stars daddy.' He would laugh," He had the best laugh, "And he would tell me to look at the moon. 'That's the same moon that the dinosaurs watched, the same one that Aztecs and Egyptians saw and worshiped, and the same one that Jesus walked under.'' The sound of bullfrogs croaking in the creak, a pack of coyotes singing their nightly song, the wind in the trees like dull chimes, and scuttling of tiny paws on dead leaves accompanied her dad's voice as he told her a little family history. "He'd look over at me and would tell me a story of my great- grandparents. Back when my grandfather was in the war and he left my grandmother back in the states. He'd write to her and tell her to look at the moon and think of him and of everyone else that has walked under its light. And they could share that special moment under the moon's glow, halfway across the world and they would always have the moon as a common theme to get them through the trying times." Lyla finished the tale and turned back to the Doctor and Rose with tears in her eyes. "The stories that the sun and moon could tell after it watched over the earth and it's just going to be whipped out from the sky. Not even the moon to stand witness."
With a faraway look in his eyes, the Doctor opened his mouth to say something, but the computer interrupted, "Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation, and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for 15:39. Followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."
Lyla gave a shake of her head, wiped her eyes, and gave a big sniffle before looking up at the Doctor again, "Let's go see those guests then." She walked off toward the door, not waiting for an answer.
oOoOo
The three made their way into the hallway when Rose, who had moved to Lyla's side and was giving silent comfort, asked the Doctor, "So, when it says guests, does that mean people?"
The question pulled Lyla out of her melancholy mood that reminiscing about a lost universe gave her, "Rose, it's 5 billion years in the future. I really hope that there are aliens besides leather here." She gestured with her head and gave a giggle when she saw his face all screwed up in false annoyance.
"Lyla's right. All different types will probably be in attendance on this occasion." He said, still looking put out about the leather comment. "And what's wrong with this jacket?" He asked the Texan.
"Nothing. I like the jacket. It's a very distinctive look," she replied as she watched him mess with a control panel again. She gestured to all of him when she continued, "The whole tough guy, brooding act works for you." She gave a wink and a half smile as she said softly so only, he could hear her, "It's very sexy."
With a snap of his neck in her direction, he stared in open disbelief as one of his companions called him sexy. It's not the first time one has but it was the first time that he felt shy and embarrassed over it. He was saved by Rose continuing their earlier conversation.
"What are they doing on board this spaceship? What's it all for?" Rose asked, confused.
With a sigh and still a slightly confused look to his brown-haired companion he answered the blonde one, "It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn."
"What for?" Rose asked, wanting clarification.
"Fun." The Doctor finally got the door open, and they made their way into the main observation room. "Mind you, when I said the great and the good, what I mean is, the rich."
"Of course." Lyla grumbled to herself, but the Doctor caught it, giving her a look of contemplation. Lyla, being the ever-curious cat, looked around at several of the display cases and itched to explore on her own without having to worry about plot and not wanting to miss anything important. Later. I can look later. At least I get to see Jack, with that thought her spirits lifted considerably.
Rose, struggling to keep up physically, asked in a curious tone, "But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun is expanding, that takes hundreds of years."
"Millions, but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved." All three made it to another window, while he pointed to something out the window and explained, "See down there? Gravity satellites holding back the sun."
"The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things."
"They did, and the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over." The real question is why out of the 5 billion years did they pick this continent formation. What's so special about this early earth? Man, that was deep. I need to get that checked.
"How long's it got?" Rose asked with a side glance and a slight upturn of her lips.
The Doctor looked at his watch again, "About half an hour and then the planet gets roasted." He looked over at Rose with a closed lipped grin.
"Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?" Rose questioned.
"I'm not saving it. Time's up." He popped the 'p' and turned back to the window.
"But what about the people?" Rose asked with an air of disbelief and worry.
"It's empty. They're all gone. No one left."
"Just us, then." Rose said softly while turning from the Doctor and looking back to a classic earth. Lyla came up behind her and grabbed her hand in silent camaraderie even though Lyla knew that there were humans that had expanded out into the universe. We are not alone. God, I'm a dork.
oOoOo
Rose didn't get long to contemplate their aloneness before a rude voice sounded through the room and came behind the three, "Who the hell are you?"
"Oh, that's nice. Thanks." The doctor said with a patronizing smile toward the blue man.
"But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now." Lyla looked at the blue man, a flash of sorrow and deep sadness overtook her face and thoughts, I'm so sorry that I can't save you. But your death causes the Doctor to find out about the nature of the spiders. I'm so sorry. She pulled herself together and looked down at her hands, hands that were rubbing the wolf etched bracelet that adorned her wrist. Like always, when she was nervous, she found herself playing with the delicate metal. She noticed that there was a warmth that radiated from the wolf bracelet. Once she focused on the heat and gave a curious lifted brow at the thing, it started to cool down to its normally cool temperature. She continued to look at her hands and dismissing the bracelet for now, she tried to calm her anxious nerves, and to stop the obvious pain and sorrow that was written on her face. Oh, sweet Mary, this just became all too real.
"That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation." The Doctor pulled out the psychic paper and showed it to the Steward. "Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus two. I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler and Lyla. They're my plus two. Is that all right?" He finished with a large grin.
"Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy." He replied still in an annoyed voice. He walked over to a clear glass lectern.
The Doctor showed the paper that he used for the invitation, toward the two girls and lowered his voice as he explained, "The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time."
Lyla gave the paper a quick scan before looking back down and away from his eyes, "That paper's blank." She said off handedly, still lost in her morose thoughts about the fate of the steward and how everything got too real for her to handle at the moment. OK, suck it up sweetheart. Compose yourself. Conceal, don't feel. Freak out later in private. She blew out a breath to calm her nervousness. She almost missed the Doctor replying as she was so lost in her own thoughts.
"Well, that's brilliant," he studied her with a critical eye. He noticed her mood and how it had turned an about-face from fascinated curiosity to deep sadness as her eyes refused to meet his.
"He's blue." Rose said, mystified. Well spotted Blondie. The comment pulled Lyla out of her mood, if only marginally, and finally gave herself a mental shake.
"Yeah." The Doctor replied, a huge grin returning to his face as he looked away from Lyla and toward Rose.
"We have in attendance the Doctor, Rose Tyler, and Lyla. Thank you. All staff to their positions." He gave three small claps and small blue people started shuffling around the room preparing for the other guests. "Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honored guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa." The guests that walked through were humanoid versions of trees, one female and two male trees. The male trees were following Jabe. Their bark was a rich dark brown color with woody vines all along their bodies in swirling designs.
"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you could keep the room circulating, thank you." The Steward reminded, then continued announcing the incoming guests, "Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon." A little fat blue man on a type of hoverboard seat floated in next.
"And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme." The droids walked in covered in black robes that had accents of gold around the hood and sleeves.
"The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you." Fur lined hoods adorn reptilian-like aliens walked in next.
"Cal Spark Plug." Two hood covered machine looking beings were next.
"Mister and Mrs. Pakoo." Bird-like aliens stepped through the door.
"The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light." A flesh-colored wrinkled faced alien glided through.
Lyla got cut off from watching the guest being introduced when the Trees stepped before the time travelers. "The Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather." The Doctor took the cutting but handed it off to Rose quickly. She took the cutting with a stupefied expression as she stared at her first non-looking alien.
"Thank you. Yes, gifts." He patted down his pockets fruitlessly. Lyla saw his brain turning for what to give as a gift.
Lyla saved the day when she pulled out a slightly smashed pack of gum from her back pocket. "A stick of Big Red. It's gum. You chew it to give your mouth something to do other than talk uselessly." She casted a bemused look at the Doctor. "Be careful, it's a little spicy if you're not used to it." Thank the lords that I remembered to buy a new pack before I left earth.
"Thank you." Jabe said, a little confused at the gift but taking it nonetheless.
"You and that god-awful gum." Rose said mockingly and a roll of the eyes.
"Please, I just saved this one from making a fool of himself." Lyla said playfully and with a shoulder bump against the Doctor.
"Oi!" The Doctor exclaimed at the playful insult. Get over it big ears.
"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe," the steward continued his announcements of each new guest. The Face of Boe was just that. A head floating in a liquid type substance. Jack! I'm so fucking excited to talk to you.
Lyla's attention was diverted from Jack and back toward the Doctor as he introduced the next guest to Rose and Lyla. "The Moxx of Balhoon." Lyla stepped to the side behind the Doctor, pretending to take something from Rose to not raise suspicion of moving out of the way. I am not getting any bodily fluid in the face. Not today dude.
"My felicitations on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily saliva." He spat directly in Rose's eye. She flinched back and wiped her eyes with an 'eww' face. Dudes got pinpoint aim! Lyla moved back to her original spot beside the Doctor.
The Doctor gave a smile and chuckled at Rose before he turned back toward the Moxx of Balhoon. "Thank you very much." He handed over a stick of gum that Lyla dutifully handed him as he explained what it was before Moxx moved on.
"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I brought you a stick of gum." He handed over the stick of gum.
He was quickly cut off from the Adherents when they thrust out one of their metal claw-like things that held a metal sphere. "A gift of peace in all good faith." The Doctor took the ball, tossing it up and down before handing it to Lyla. She took the sphere carefully and slowly examined the outside before shaking it like a present on Christmas morning. Don't hold on to the creepy spider things for too long. Can't do anything about them without raising some eyebrows.
She then handed it over to Rose so she could look as well. As she was handing it over Rose was giving her a funny look, "What? You never did that on Christmas." At the blank look Rose gave her, she continued, "Don't judge me." Lyla stuck out her tongue at the blonde girl as her attention was caught again by the steward announcing the last guest of the day.
"And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen." The doors opened to reveal skin stretched tight and clamped between two poles. She was followed by men dressed in white and carrying spray nozzles attached to a canister. It would be so easy just to tell everyone that she is about to cause but I can't prove it. And the Doctor…. Oh, he would be… Well I don't know how he would act. But none of the reactions would be good or pleasant. A wave of different emotions crashed into Lyla as she laid eyes on the skin. Rage, because of the situation that Cassandra puts everyone in and all for money. Remorse, because she could do nothing to stop it but let it play out and hope to save a few people along the way. Uneasiness, because what would the Doctor think about her playing god with situations that could become so easily disastrous and so quickly.
"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me. Moisturize me." The boys each sprayed her down with the stuff in the canisters. "Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honor them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry." One of the boys patted her eyes with a tissue before she went on, "But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity," Rose began to walk around her while Lyla and the Doctor watched. She walked fully around the talking skin and was staring in shock at the flatness and obscenity that was calling herself the last human. She's more gross in person than what she looked like on T.V. "According to the archives, this was called an iPod." An old-fashioned jukebox was carted in and placed on display for the guests. "It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!"
Tainted Love started to play over the jukebox. The steward announced, "Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes."
The Doctor shared a big goofy smile with Lyla before he started bobbing his head in time to the beat. God, he is a huge ass dork. It's insanely cute. Lyla gave a loud laugh but stopped quickly when she saw that Rose had bolted from the room and into the hallway. The Doctor grabbed Lyla's hand to drag her along, but she stopped him with a quick tug of the hand to pull him to a stop, "Go talk to her. I'm Fine." He gave her a look like he didn't believe her. "Promise. I'm just gonna mingle and talk to the sponsor of the event," She pointed off toward Boe. She gave the Doctor a smile and a wink before she pushed him gently toward the door, "Go. I got this. I won't freak." Well I may swoon cause JACK. But he's a head right now so that's a little gross. But still JACK.
"Alright. Alright. Don't get pushy."
He went after Rose as Lyla made her way to Boe. "Hello Jack. You look good for your age."
His head gave a small bobble, and a hearty laugh could be heard in her head. Hello little goddess. I haven't been called that in a very long time Nox. How's the adventure going?
"Well this is technically the first. So, it's going well so far." She paused and looked down at her feet before she continued softly, "I'm scared. What if I can't save everyone that I want to save. What if there is someone that I could've saved but didn't because it would have been too hard or caused suspicion for me. What if I fail to right the wrong that was done. What if he abandons me." She trailed off with tears in her eyes.
Jack tsked, Nox, you'll be fine. Want to know how I know. There's three reasons. One, I'm taking cold showers the whole time I'm here. Well at least I saved Ruffalo. Two, I know you and I know what you will do. Everything will be fine. Especially when you find out about those bracelets you keep fiddling with. And three, I'm here. That means the event you fear happened.
And there goes the mood. "I'm so sorry Jack. All those years. All that pain." Lyla quietly spoke while she continued to look down at her feet in devastating sadness for what she will put Jack through.
Stop apologizing little goddess. My life was long and overall, happy. Yes, there were rough patches and bad times but overall it was beautiful. I saw things, met people, and stopped the universe from ending several times. Those things forever changed me, for the better. You let me experience that.
Now suck it up buttercup and go explore the stars.
She gave a watery laugh and nodded her head. "Okay. I already love you Jack. I can't wait to meet you for the first time." I really can't. Nothing good can come from two Americans getting together.
I love you too Lyla. Till next time.
Lyla smiled and walked backward still facing Jack when she replied with a cheeky smile, "See you in 23 years Boe." She turned around with Jacks' laughter echoing in her head and a small bittersweet smile on her face.
oOoOo
Lyla made her way from the viewing room trying to find where Rose and the Doctor scampered off to, when the computer announced, "Earth Death in twenty-five minutes."
Lyla was wandering down a hallway when she heard escalated voices from a room up ahead. Bet you 100 bucks I know who that is. She slowly and silently stepped through the door and leaned against the wall beside it as she watched the scene unfold. She saw the two sitting on the ledge with the stairs in between them and she witnessed the agitation flare between them as Rose continued her hard-pressed questions.
"Tell me who you are!" Rose half yelled at the Doctor as she tried to get answers. Yeah. No, that's something that I am not going to watch happen.
Lyla interjected into the conversation with a hard voice aimed at Rose, "That's enough." They both spun around to stare at her. She pointed at the Doctor as she continued, "That's the Doctor and that's all you need to know right now. Plus, now isn't the time. So, drop it."
Rose was the first to say something as the shock wore off and was replaced with righteous anger, "And who or what are you? Cause the way you react to all of this is not normal." Well, that's because I know what to expect. I have a huge learning curve, blondie.
"I'm just a human Rose. Just like you. Maybe a little more open-minded at the moment. But just a human," Lyla answered with a sigh. She pushed off the wall and walked toward the two.
"Did you know his machine is in our head?" Rose accused.
"No, but does it matter?" Lyla answered, taking a seat on the stairs in between the two.
"Yes! Cause it's in our head and he didn't even ask." Rose nearly came out of her seat as she complained.
"Rose, it's probably something that he doesn't think about or it's something that he can't fully control. But that's no reason for you to jump on his case so rudely." Lyla admonished the blonde.
The computer came back on over the P.A. system, "Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes."
"Rose, I think you should apologize. We are here, 5 billion years in the future, because of him and his awesome ship. Apologize so you don't upset the easily cranky alien who is the driver." Lyla finished with a smile and an amused look at said alien.
Chastised, Rose looked everywhere but at the other two occupants of the room. "All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver." She took out her phone, "Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit." Well, that's not exactly an apology but I guess that's the British way. Or maybe a Tyler way.
The Doctor gave a small smile at Lyla as he addressed Rose, "Tell you what." He reached across Lyla and snagged the phone from Rose's hand, "With a little bit of jiggery pokery." Lyla blinked rapidly as she got an up close and personal experience with the Doctor's chest and smell. It should be illegal to smell that good. Like do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars, straight to jail.
Rose gave a smile as she leaned closer to the two as he fiddled with the back and pulled the battery out. "Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery?" Focus Lyla! It's your favorite part.
"Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you?"
"No, I took hullabaloo." Rose ended with a tongue and teeth grin. Lyla let out a laugh as she watched them pick fun at each other.
"Oh. There you go." The Doctor handed her phone back to Rose.
Rose took the phone and immediately moved away from the two seated occupants as she called her mother.
"Thank you." The Doctor nudged Lyla's shoulder with his own.
She shrugged and gave him a smile. She held out a pack of gum to him as a silent peace offering. He laughed and took a piece but just fiddled with the wrapping as he looked down at his hands. "It's not that big of a deal, Doctor," she said reassuringly.
He gave her a wide goofy grin and changed the subject, "How was your talk with the Face of Boe."
"Oh, it was good. He's ancient and wise so it went about as well as talking to Yoda. It's all in riddles. But overall pretty cool." Lyla said back with a bittersweet smile escaping her as she played back the conversation in her head.
Confused at her flippant attitude over her first conversation with something that looked like an alien, he asked, "I heard he was a little off putting with the whole talking in your mind ordeal."
"I think it's more off putting to see a disembodied head floating in a large glass jar like a science experiment gone wrong." She saw his look of disbelief and quickly continued, "Don't get me wrong the whole telepathy thing is slightly weird but overall the disembodied head was even more so."
"You are a confusing human being Lyla." He seemed to remember something, "What's your full name?"
Lyla laughed loudly, "Lyla Nox Aylin."
"Your parents had a thing for the night." He said with a large grin.
She gave him a lazy smile and asked him a question that she already knew the answer to, "Now, why would you say that?"
"Well," he stepped into lecturing mode, "The origin of Lyla is Arabic meaning night. Nox is the Roman Goddess of Night and Aylin is Turkish for moon halo or belonging to the moon." He finished with a smile and saw her trying to hold in the obvious laughter and frowned, "But you already knew that."
"I did," she giggled and tried to choke the noise down when she saw his put-out face. "I wasn't making fun of you, Doctor. I was just curious if your name origins and meanings would have been human to begin with." She could no longer suppress her laughter at the situation. Once under control she saw the Doctor looking at her with a soft smile and shining eyes. "I guess that kinda explains the obsession with all things space and stars. When you asked us to travel with you," she paused and looked him in the eye with a broad grin as she continued, "You had me 'at universe'." She looked over at the alien with a small almost shy smile, her laughter from earlier only shining in her eyes now.
Just then Rose walked back over with a shell-shocked appearance. The Doctor looked over at her with a grin as he said, "Think that's amazing, you'll want to see the bill."
"That was five billion years ago. So, she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead." Rose said, shocked and trying to wrap her mind around the whole situation.
"Bundle of laughs, you are," as the Doctor finished talking, the whole observation deck shook. "That's not supposed to happen."
oOoOo
The three walked back into the main viewing room. The Doctor started to explain to his two new companions as he fiddled with the sonic and the control panel by the door, "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that." Jabe made her way over to the three interlopers, "What do you think, Jabe? Listen to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what."
"It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me." Jabe answered his question with a shrug.
He gave a sarcastic smile having thought of something. Some thought that would have made Sherlock proud. Probably about the intelligence of lesser beings that he was surrounded by. It vanished as he asked her, "Where's the engine room?"
"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your wives." Jabe answered with false wide earnest eyes.
"They're not my wives." He said with a faint smile. Oh, fuck no. I will not be talked down to or called offensive names. No exceptions. Bitch needs to learn manners.
Knowing the rudeness that was about to happen, Lyla stepped in quickly. Her Texas accent got thicker as she reprimanded the offensive being in front of her, "If the next words out of your mouth are partner, concubine, or prostitute you better swallow them. And quickly. We are his associates, friends, companions, buddies, pals, hell you could've even used the word amigas. We are not his bitches." She finished with a sneer and a cold look. "Now while you go and get some manners, I'm gonna go mingle with the other guests." She looked to the Doctor as she turned her back to the tree, "Find the trouble and see you later." That tree! Ugh. Don't make me regret saving your life. She thought in turmoil after being called something so vile or almost being called something so vile. Maybe it's an American thing but being called a prostitute is asking to be punched.
Rose quickly caught up to Lyla, "That was amazing. And I think I've only seen you get that offended a handful of times."
"It doesn't happen often but when it does…" She paused as she tried to find the right words, "I go off like a shot. Then everyone sees that I'm the bigger bitch."
"It was hilarious. You should've seen the Doctor's face when you really laid into the tree."
"Why? Did I offend his delicateness with my language and tone?" Lyla said sardonically.
"No. I think you impressed him to tell you the truth. I was even a little impressed even after I learned how you can get." She paused, "And I think that was the least number of curses that I've heard you utter when you bitch someone out." She laughed and gave Lyla a nudge. "So anyway, I'm going to talk to Michael Jackson over there. Wanna join?"
"Naw, I have no desire to entertain that piece of skin, but don't get in a fight." Lyla shoved her gently in the skin's direction.
As she turned a circle, the computer came over the intercom again, "Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes." Lyla ignored the computer and decided to look at the artifacts finally.
As Lyla looked around and got absorbed in the ancient artifacts that have stood the test of time and found themselves watching the earth's last moments like her, she remembered what happened to Rose after she talked to the skin. Aw shit. How could I have forgotten? She turned looking for the other blonde and came up blank. She booked it to the hallway and quickly found the sound of Rose banging on the door.
"Rose!"
"Oh, thank God!" she exclaimed. "Let me out!"
"Oh, I don't know," Lyla rolled her eyes, "I think that I may just leave you in a locked room with the sun filter descending. What do you think I'm trying to do?" Just as Lyla finished her sarcastic retort the Doctor came around the corner.
He saw Lyla and quickly asked "Anyone in there?" He turned on the sonic and started working on the control panel.
Before Lyla could answer, Rose was banging on the door again, "LET ME OUT."
He rolled his eyes, "Oh, well, it would be you."
"Open the door." Rose demanded.
"What do you think he's trying to do?! Open a bed and breakfast?" Lyla answered her back as the Doctor continued working on the control panel.
"OI! I don't need the bitchiness Lyla!"
"Sorry, I'm sarcastic under pressure."
They finally heard the computer say that the sun filter was rising. The Doctor let out a breath, but Lyla tensed up more and hit the Doctor, "Open the door, numskull, before something else happens."
Before he could retort, the sun filter started descending again. Rose, panicking now, yelled through the door, "Stop mucking about!"
He ripped open the control panel and was messing around with the wires, "I'm not mucking about. It's fighting back."
"Open the door!"
"He knows Rose! Just run down the steps. Lowest part of the room. Rose, Do it!" Lyla yelled back.
"The lock's melted!"
At this the Doctor shoved his sonic into the mess of wires. With some crackling pops, they heard the computer state that the sun filter was rising again. Lyla gave a giant sigh of relief.
"The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors. Stay there! Don't move." The Doctor yelled at Rose as he grabbed Lyla's hand and made his way down the hallway.
Before they got far, Rose replied to the Doctor's last comment, "Where am I going to go, Ipswich?"
oOoOo
As they ran through the hallway, the computer came over the P.A system again, "Earth Death in five minutes."
They walked into the viewing room and heard Cassandra talking, "How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me, moisturize me."
The Moxx of Balhoon demanded, "Summon the Steward."
Jabe answered as the Doctor walked up and took the spider device from her, "I'm afraid the Steward is dead."
Everyone gasped but the Moxx of Balhoon was the one to ask, "Who killed him?"
"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face." The Face of Boe shook his head and gave a groan. Really Jack that was pathetic, Lyla thought as she tried to suppress a laugh. For God sakes Lyla, get your shit together. The steward died. No time for giggles.
The Doctor held up the spider for everyone to see as he talked, "Easy way of finding out. Someone bought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master." He activated the spider and set it down on the ground. The device scuttled over to Cassandra and scanned her but moved on to the Adherents of the Repeated Meme.
"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!" Cassandra was quick to accuse.
"That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it." He walked over to the Adherents. The front droid raised a hand to smite the Doctor, good luck with that dear sir. Better men have tried. And I think the right is reserved for Jackie Tyler. At least in this regeneration. But the leader got caught by said alien as he proceeded to pull the arm off. What's with him and pulling arms off.
"A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea." The Doctor pulled a wire in the arm and all the droids fell to the floor. "Remote controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home." He nudged the spider with his foot and it scurried off to stand in front of Cassandra again.
"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed. At arms!" The boys on either side of her held up the spray canisters.
"What are you going to do, moisturize me?" The Doctor said with his hands going up to his chest in a frightened manner.
Lyla grabbed the back of his jacket as she pulled slightly and whispered where only the Doctor can hear, "And here I thought I was sassy. That was top notch. Give the alien an A for that comeback." She just couldn't help herself with commenting on the line that always made her laugh.
The Doctor quietly shushed her and focused back on the evil mastermind wanna-be.
As Lyla was whispering, Cassandra carried on talking, "With acid. Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face."
"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?" The Doctor commented on the obvious.
"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous," Cassandra said.
"Five billion years and it still comes down to money," The Doctor observed with a mild tone of disgust.
"It's always money," Lyla quietly commented, still holding the leather jacket.
"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not those freaky little kids of yours," said Cassandra.
Lyla was glad she had situated herself behind the Doctor as she was shaking with the suppressed need to hit something. Preferably a skin flap named Cassandra.
"Arrest her, the infidel." The Moxx of Balhoon cried to the room.
"Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option." Cassandra said.
"Earth Death in three minutes." The Computer spoke over the intercom again to remind everyone of the impending danger.
"And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies, and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn."
Jabe, stepping into the conversation, said, "Then you'll burn with us."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate." Explosions can be heard throughout the space station. "Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me." Cassandra laughed but continued, "Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings." Her voice fading as she teleported out of the room.
"Safety systems failing," said the Computer. "Heat levels rising."
"Reset the computer." The Moxx of Balhoon shouted, now panicking.
"Only the Steward would know how." said Jabe.
"No. We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe and Lyla, come on. You lot, just chill." The Doctor interjected and grabbed ahold of Lyla's hand and rushed out the door with Jabe hot on their tales.
oOoOo
The group of unlikely travelers made their way down to the maintenance tunnel, the Computer kept talking over their heads, "Earth Death in two minutes. Earth Death in two minutes. Heat levels are critical. Heat levels Critical."
As they entered the engine room, the Doctor made a noise in the back of his throat, "Oh. And guess where the switch is." He nodded to the other side of the three large circulating fans. He looked around and spotted a control lever for the fan speed and pushed it down. The fans slowed, he released the lever and started walking toward the fans. The lever bounced back to its original position before Lyla quickly took up the mantle of lever holder. The fans slowed once again. The Doctor turned around and gave a sad look back at the tiny human girl, but she was staring at Jabe and didn't notice.
"Get out, Jabe. The heat will kill you," said Lyla with a grunt. "Get everyone away from the windows."
Jabe nodded and spoke to the Doctor, "Don't waste time, Timelord." She took off back down the maintenance duct.
He turned to Lyla with pleading eyes, but she was already set and a glare was aimed his way, "You heard her. Stop wasting time."
The heat rose sharply in the room and the metal bar beneath her hands started to heat up to uncomfortable levels. Thank the lord for Texas summers and hot seatbelts. She didn't see the Doctor go past the first fan, too preoccupied with the sweat dripping down her face and slicking her palms.
She did look up a couple seconds later to see how his progress was moving. She watched as he looked back before facing the second fan. In record time, sweat drenched her shirt but her body had stopped producing the fluid already being close to heat stroke from just the little amount of time that she spent in here. Her hands cramped as her body told her to release the object causing so much pain. She started to smell burning flesh as her hands started to slip and slide on the bar.
Not able to handle the heat and pain any longer she gave a scream and sagged against the bar. Lyla shouted, over the computer's insistent warnings, "Get the lead out of your ass Timelord." He stepped through the second fan, but she released the lever with a pained cry and dropped to her knees cradling her hands.
The metal bar had heated to such a degree that the skin had started to turn black in places and was oozing blood and clear liquid. She had flayed skin separating from the rest of her hands. Holy crow. That hurts so fucking bad. She didn't realize that she was whimpering, "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. That hurts," repeatedly until the Doctor crouched down and drew her hands toward him.
"Let me see." He softly said and examined her hands. "I'll fix you up in the Tardis. They will be good as new." He helped her stand and whipped the tears from her checks. He made his way behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders to guide her through the tight maintenance duct. They slowly made their way back toward the Manchester Suite. They had a flap of skin to bake.
She commented to lighten the mood and take her mind off her destroyed hands, "I feel like I was just baked in an oven." She gave a humorless laugh and didn't say another word for the rest of the trip.
oOoOo
When they enter the room, Lyla looked around at the casualties and noticed that there weren't many and the Moxx of Balhoon was still sitting in his chair, Jabe was with her two men over in the corner and Boe was still getting his tank back to a comfortable temperature with the help of the small blue workers. She saw Rose and led the Doctor to her.
"You two alright?" she asked, looking upon the two and seeing Lyla's hands made a beeline to her. Lyla shook her head at her friend and nodded toward the Doctor behind her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby." He walked over to the ostrich egg and slammed it against the pedestal. A metal device fell out, "Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed." He twisted a noob on the device and Cassandra was teleported back. "The last human."
"So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club," she said, fishing for excuses.
"People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them," the Doctor said with a hard cold look.
"It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter."
"And creak?" The Doctor asked.
"And what?"
"And creak. You're creaking." Lyla said while she took a step toward the Doctors side and Rose stepped up on his other. "Wanna know what happens to skin when you turn up the heat?" Lyla showed her hands to Cassandra. She heard several gasps throughout the room. Oh come on, I know they look bad but not that bad.
"What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturize me, moisturize me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!" She screamed.
"You raised the temperature," the Doctor said back with no emotion.
"Have pity! Moisturize me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything," Cassandra begged.
"Help her," Lyla heard Rose whisper to the Doctor.
The Doctor looked down at Rose and then over at Lyla and watched her as she held her hands in pain, his face hardened further. "Everything has its time, and everything dies," he said back to Rose and placed a hand on Lyla's shoulder.
Lyla, not wanting to see what was going to happen next, turned her face into the Doctor's side. She vaguely heard Cassandra's last words, "I'm too young," The Last Human gave a splat as her skin shrunk and came undone from the clamps. Pieces flew in every direction and it was a miracle that the three stayed so clean through it all.
oOoOo
After the downfall of the bad guy, the Doctor pulled Lyla away from the Manchester Suite and made his way toward the med bay on the Tardis.
Lyla looked around at the med bay. She saw a very white and organized room that would make any OCD person swoon at. Several pieces of machinery hung from the ceiling or was pushed into corners, ready to use at any moment. The Doctor steered her by the shoulders to a fairly normal looking emergency room bed.
The Doctor helped her up and started prepping her arm for an IV. Once the IV was in and a bright blue fluid bag placed on the rack above her head she finally spoke up, "You know this could've waited until we were completely done with the space station." A small shrug accompanied the statement. She watched him riffle through cabinets until he found the item he was looking for.
He walked back over to her with a funny look on his face that Lyla couldn't place. "Why would I let you suffer in pain when I could easily fix it," he wanted to know with a head tilt.
She gave him a weary smile, "I have a high pain tolerance. It's really not that bad anymore."
He looked at her in disbelief, "I've seen a lot of burn wounds and this is probably one of the worst. If you were anywhere else, they would've had to do a skin graft. And you say it's not that bad. You should be crying or groaning in pain at least. But no, you say you could've waited," he said mockingly. "You are something special," he trailed off and finally uncapped the tube of ointment. He squeezed half the tube onto each hand before grabbing a tongue depressor to smear the goop. She watched as it turned a sickish green color.
Lyla felt the immediate effects and sighed in relief as the cool substance soaked into her hands. "Ok now what." She asked.
"Now you wait 30 minutes for the burn relief ointment to do its job. No touching anything," he commanded. He looked up at the IV bag and noticed that it was almost drained, he took out the IV and placed a band-aid over the small puncture wound.
Lyla, super curious about what was in the IV, voiced her question, "What did you just pump into my system and how did it happen so fast."
"It's a cocktail of different substances for dehydration," he answered as he helped her down from the bed with an arm under her legs and the other behind her back in a traditional bridal hold.
Once off the bed, he sat her feet down on the floor and took up position at her back again, steering her out of the med bay and back to the observation deck to gather their third companion.
oOoOo
Lyla stopped short just inside the entrance of the Manchester Suite when they found the wayward blonde, she nudged the Doctor closer toward Rose with an elbow. He gave her a look and she was quick to promise not to touch anything as she waited for the two.
The Doctor walked up behind Rose and a few minutes went by before the Doctor offered her his hand as he pulled her toward Lyla.
When Rose saw Lyla, she asked quickly, "How's the hands and how did they get like that to begin with?"
Lyla began walking back toward the Tardis as she told a shorter version of events, "Well holding a metal bar when the temperature gets up into the cake baking range is not a wise move but so was, you know, dying… lesser of two evils I guess." Lyla lifted her hands and showed them to Rose. The greenish ointment was slowly turning into a sickly yellow. "Well, I saw my Doctor and he smeared this stuff on them and pumped me full of some special concoction, then told me that I was not to touch anything. He was quite demanding." Lyla said with a smile toward the Doctor who was fighting a grin.
"I see what I get for Doctoring you up."
"Oh, sweetheart, you can Doctor me up anytime." Lyla's accent got thicker as she teased the Doctor. She threw a wink his way and giggled when she saw slight redness come over his cheeks and tops of his ears.
"Oi. You two, stop flirting and show me what you were going to show me Doctor."
They reached the Tardis and were quick to leave Platform One. When they landed again, the Doctor ushered them out into modern day London.
"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky. My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before its time." The Doctor said sadly as he looked off into the distance.
"What happened?" Rose asked.
"There was a war and we lost." The Doctor turned slowly toward them and regarded the two women.
"A war with who," When she realized that he wasn't going to answer, Rose cleared her throat roughly before she asked another question, "What about your people?"
"I'm a Timelord. I'm the last of the Timelords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else," he said solemnly.
Lyla wrapped her arm through the Doctors, careful to not touch him directly with her hands, "There's us." She said just loud enough to be heard over the chaos of people and the sounds of life and living.
"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?" The Doctor asked the two, studying them closely for any hesitation.
"Hell no," Lyla was quick to answer. Her eyes never left the Doctors when she declared her answer.
"I don't know. I want. Oh, can you smell chips?" Rose said, easily distracted. The other two shared a smile and sniffed the air around them.
"You know, I don't understand why y'all call them chips?" Lyla asked as they investigated the smell.
"Well-." The Doctor was quickly cut off by Rose as she demanded chips.
"You can explain over chips and you can pay." Rose said.
"No money," he replied with a closed lipped grin.
"What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad, chips are on Lyla and me. We've only got five billion years till the shops close," Rose said with a tongue in teeth smile.
"Ha! Guess what, you guys," Lyla exclaimed a couple seconds later as they investigated the smell of fried goodness.
They looked over at her in a questioning manner, and Lyla looked at the Doctor barely containing her mirth at the situation and raised her hands for him to see, "You get to feed me fries." She lost the battle of holding in her laughter and barely got out, "Oh, this is gonna be fun!"
The other two companions joined in with the other girl's laughter.
oOoOo