The Bits In Between
Chapter Two: The Contract
By Lumendea
AN: The story takes place between Defender of Earth and the Companion Connection. Thank you so much for the great response to the first chapter. As I said, there will be a mix of missing scenes and other character POVs with a lot of variety coming your way.
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The meeting room had dull off-white walls and a rather ugly metalwork piece of the UNIT symbol on the wall behind the main chair at the long wooden table. General Lethbridge-Stewart cut an impressive figure beneath the symbol as he watched the others take their seats. Opposite him was a collection of computer screens showing faces from around the world. He caught the eye of Colonel Benton as the younger man took the seat on his right.
General Lethbridge-Stewart wondered how long it would be until Benton received another promotion. It was overdue, to be honest. The man had been there almost as long as he had, steadfast through it all. Still, if the rumours he heard out of Geneva were true, it wouldn't be long until Benton became the latest Brigadier. Maybe they'd all stop calling him that. He was a full General now and a Knight of the Realm. It was probably the Doctor's fault.
A few other UNIT UK officers joined him at the table. They nodded to him, slipping into quiet respect. One sent a dark look towards Benton, but honestly, the Colonel was his most trusted officer now. Lethbridge-Stewart almost chuckled at what he would have thought of that twenty years ago. Soon they had a full table facing the screens. All of them looked uncomfortable but were doing their best to keep it under wraps before the representatives.
"Well," a stuffy-looking man from Germany huffed. "We're all here, so let's get on with it."
"Indeed," the French delegate agreed. "First point of discussion-"
"Only point of discussion," the British representative cut in. He was looking rather pleased, not that he could really take any credit. Lethbridge-Stewart decided at once that he didn't like the man.
"Yes," the French delegate said. There was a sharpness to their voice, a hint of distaste that he didn't like at all. "Rose Tyler. UNIT number D547. She carries the special designation denoting a person of interest to the Doctor."
General Lethbridge-Stewart almost rolled his eyes. He was getting far too old for all this prancing around the point. They all knew that this meeting was because of Tyler, so why bothering pretending otherwise.
"Birthdate 27th April 1986 and current age eighteen years old." The British representative looked down at his notes spread across the table with a slight frown. "Mother Jacqueline Tyler née Prentice and Father Peter Tyler. Father deceased and Mother formerly on the dole. Rose Tyler herself has recently been left a large sum of money and purchased a house in Ealing. Tyler is due to begin this term at Cambridge University on a rare concurrent degree: computer science and physics. Did very well on her A-Levels and was in general well-liked by all of her teachers. She worked a part-time job as a computer tech, mostly under the table. By all accounts, a clever girl but has trouble with authority."
General Lethbridge-Stewart almost snorted at that and heard Benton chuckle under his breath. He remembered too well Rose Tyler rounding on him and proceeding to lecture him. You could have heard a pin drop in the room afterward. If he hadn't been so horrified at her behaviour, he might have been impressed or amused. The Doctor had always liked the ones with fire in their hearts. He couldn't fault his friend on that, he supposed. It took a spine to cope with the things they saw on Earth, and it was probably even worse in the TARDIS.
"Let's get to the point shall we," someone sighed from the screens. "The girl attracts trouble and always seems to stumble into it."
"Well, Horath Academy was our own fault," General Lethbridge-Stewart pointed out calmly. The very name of the place was bitter on his tongue, and he felt another burst of anger. It should never have happened. "And we called her for the most recent incident with the Durmino Empire."
"It can't be denied that the girl has… potential," the British representative remarked. "She lacks the degrees necessary to join either the science or medical divisions and isn't enlisted, but surely everyone here can see the value in bringing Rose Tyler's abilities into UNIT."
"But to what extent and in what capacity?" It was another representative who asked the question. "As you said, she doesn't fit in with either the science department or the military side of the operations."
"Perhaps it is time to consider a third avenue," the US representative offered. "Section 13 here in the US has a civilian head now. Matthews began as a diplomatic consultant and linguistic expert there."
"You're suggesting bringing Tyler in as a civilian?" There was a beat, and the German representative nodded. "It could work, only sending her in on a major crisis. Might even encourage the Doctor to return more regularly."
General Lethbridge-Stewart heard Benton mutter something under his breath but didn't react himself. The rumours were already becoming irritating. He was fairly certain that the Doctor hadn't fathered any human children during his time on Earth. Neither Peter nor Jackie Tyler reminded him of the Doctor at all. Rose Tyler was not the Doctor's granddaughter; no, she was merely a future companion.
"That could be done," the US representative said. "UNIT has had contract relationships with outside parties in the past, and her special status already puts her in a small group allowed greater access."
"I'll take a look at the proposed contract myself first," General Lethbridge-Stewart heard himself say sharply, drawing attention back to himself. He owed the Doctor and the girl that much as least. It wouldn't do for anyone to try and slip something in under Rose's nose. "And you'll need to limit it to her university years. She won't agree to anything beyond that."
"Then she is going to travel with the Doctor?"
"I think it likely though I do not believe there is any agreement to that effect yet," he answered. "The Doctor did intervene himself to make sure that Tyler was left in peace during her A-Levels. Given that and other signs, I think it likely that Tyler will travel with him in the future."
It made the most sense. The Doctor didn't usually companion shop as it were, but he seemed to have decided Rose Tyler was worth some interest. There were noises of agreement and a few questions that no one had the answer to. The conversation quickly turned into a debate over the guidelines of the contract and the term limits.
Turning his head slightly, General Lethbridge-Stewart shared a look with Benton. The Colonel was just holding back an amused smile. He'd have trouble not being amused by Tyler's antics if this whole thing went through. Then again, if that promotion did come down the line, then she'd likely be Benton's problem, not his. That might be a problem; Benton was easily impressed and amused by the Doctor's companions.
General Lethbridge-Stewart almost chuckled at that even as a small voice at the back of his mind pointed out that if needed, he'd probably be among the first to step in. Oh well, they'd just have to see how it all played out. Rose Tyler as an agent of UNIT; it would be interesting if nothing else.