Here you are folks, Part 1 of the Long Game. Please leave a comment, it lets me know what you like and what needs fixing.
Zuri spent the next day with the Doctor and Donna. The pair agreed to let Zuri pick what they did, and really, she wanted to lay around. Ever since she arrived in this universe she'd been running. Running for her life, running from her problems.
Zuri eventually decided she wanted to watch movies. And so the three of them sat in the TARDIS theater room, popcorn in their laps. Zuri wrapped herself in fuzzy blankets. The lights dimmed, and the screen lit up.
Zuri's marathon of choice; The Hobbit trilogy and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Extended editions.
She let herself get lost in the Shire, in the rise and fall of the music, in the story. It was funny to her, that she sought escape through fiction when she was living in fiction. Not that the Doctor would ever know.
It was as the final credits rolled, the Ring was destroyed, the hobbits home, that Zuri felt the now familiar warmth. The bright blue glow surrounded her before she could say goodbye.
Zuri opened her eyes with a sigh as she arrived. Coral TARDIS, narrows down the time frame she could be in. She stood from the floor, wandering the halls until she found her room. If she was to go adventuring again, she wanted a shower and clean clothes.
One hot shower and a cup of tea later, Zuri meandered to the console room.
"Zuri. You're here." Rose was standing by the door, the Doctor clearly having just stepped outside. Another man stood by the console, staring at her.
"Zuri? But she disappeared? And she was white?" His brow furrowed as the man glanced at Rose.
Rose slapped her hand over his mouth. "You can't say anything about that, that's her future!"
Zuri's left eyebrow raised. White? "So I'm going to regenerate." She sighed again, too emotionally wiped to care much. "Alright."
She turned her attention to the young man, really looking at him.
"Alright then, I meet you in my future, haven't lived it yet. So hello, I'm Zuri."
"Adam. Mitchell." He appeared mildly stunned.
"Nice to meet you. Rose, you go on ahead, I want to get to know Mitchell better."
Rose nodded, suspicious, but stepped outside.
Zuri could hear Rose mention she was here to the Doctor before the door closed behind her.
"Alright then. Mitchell, first trip?" She studied his nervous shifting.
"Yeah." He rubbed his arm.
Zuri nodded sharply. "Rule one, don't wander off. Rule two, the Doctor's in charge. It's not just his ship, he's the expert, Rose and I just know a lot ourselves."
The young man made a vague gesture of agreement. "Okay."
"Adam? Out you come." Rose called in the door.
Adam stepped out the door, mouth wide open. "Oh my god."
"Don't worry," Rose assured. "You'll get used to it."
Zuri shook her head softly, accepting the Doctor's welcoming hug.
You alright? He spoke in her mind.
Tired. Rough last few jumps. Don't miss your chance to show off. Zuri shrugged in the hug, laying her head on his shoulder.
Jump number? He ignored her attempt to deflect his attention.
Six. I want to do some new scans when we are free later. I'm getting... concerned about the Artron energy levels.
"Where are we?" Adam's voice interrupted the mental conversation.
"Good question," Rose nodded. "Let's see. So, um... Judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand." She gestured at the high ceilings.
Adam nodded, still processing.
"If you listen, engines." Rose continued. "We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here, they could turn the heating down..."
She pulled at the collar of her jacket. "Tell you what, let's try that gate. Come on!"
The Doctor left his arm around Zuri's shoulder, guiding her to follow the companions.
"Let me know if we need to take a break." He murmured.
She nodded as they came upon a viewing platform, planet earth on display.
"...I'll let the Doctor explain it." Rose trailed off, awestruck at the view.
"The Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. And there it is, planet Earth at its height. Covered with megacities, five moons- population ninety-six billion. The hub of the galactic domain, stretching across a million planets, a million species- with mankind right in the middle." The Doctor talked with his hands, a grin on his face.
Adam let out a girlish sigh. Then he passed out and collapsed on the floor.
"He's your boyfriend." The Doctor pointed out.
Rose shook her head. "Not anymore."
Zuri glanced at him, making sure he wasn't bleeding. None of them moved to help him, instead looking down on the planet.
"Doctor?" Zuri suddenly had a thought.
"Hmm?" He turned to her, concern poorly hidden on his face.
She shook off his concern. "Where did the extra moons come from?"
"Oh, long story."
"Nevermind..." Zuri put off the tale as Adam began to rouse himself, groaning on the floor.
Once Adam got to his feet, the Doctor threw his free arm over the young man's shoulder. "Come on, Adam. Open your mind! You're gonna like this fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, arts, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners-"
He was cut off as he was shoved hard by a man who appeared out of nowhere. "Out of the way!"
People just popped up from nothing, bustling around the now open food carts, chattering away. The stall keeper took orders, calling for patience as the place became rather busy.
The Doctor looked confused.
"Fine cuisine?" Rose teased, pulling at his sleeve. She watched the stall keeper shout at a man with spiky hair who was pushing his way up the line.
"My watch must be wrong." The Doctor pulled his arm free to check. "No, it's fine... weird."
Zuri let out a snort as Rose smirked. "That's what comes of showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was."
"My history's perfect." He argued. Though he felt pleased to see Zuri beginning to show emotions again. She'd been acting numb, which wasn't good.
"Well obviously not..." Rose teased, oblivious to his thoughts.
"They're all human." Adam pointed out. "What about the millions of planets? The millions of species? Where are they?"
"Good question." The Doctor mused. "Actually, that is a good question. Adam me old mate, you must be starving."
"No, I'm just a bit time sick." He shook his head.
"Nah, you just need a bit o' grub." the Doctor turned to the chef. "Oi, mate! How much is a cronk burger?"
The chef sighed. "Two credits twenty sweetheart, now join the queue."
"Money. We need money." the Doctor muttered to himself. "Have to use a cash point."
He led the three of them over to a futuristic ATM. Pulling out his sonic, he buzzed the cashpoint, and a slim sliver stick fell out. Catching it, the Doctor handed it to Adam. "There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets."
"How does it work?" Adam examined it, bemused.
The Doctor turned around. "Go and find out! Stop naggin' me. The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've gotta throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers."
Rose laughed while Adam stared. "And your girlfriend's okay with that?"
"Girlfri-" Zuri started to ask, but the Doctor interrupted.
"Stop asking questions, go on, do it!" He shook off the statement, shooing Adam and Rose away. "Off you go then, your first date." He added as Rose grinned.
"You're going to get a smack, you are."
He grinned back, then turned to Zuri. "You want to tell me what's wrong?"
"I can't, it's your future." She sighed. "It was just rough, people died, and I couldn't- didn't save them. People I know and care about. But please, can we just forget it for now? I know you want to investigate this place."
"I'm sure it wasn't your fault."
"You don't know, you haven't lived it yet. Please, Doctor?" She gave him a pleading look, fighting to keep the tears from showing.
He frowned, and pulled her into a hug, running his hand over the back of her head.
"Alright, I'll drop it for now, but we will be discussing it later."
All she did was nod, and point his attention to two employees walking towards them. One with short brown hair, Suki, the other with several small braids, Cathica.
"Erm... This is going to sound daft." The Doctor stopped the two women. "But can you tell me where we are?"
"Floor one thirty-nine, could they write it any bigger?" Cathica indicated the wall above their heads, where sure enough, a large 139 sat.
"Floor one thirty-nine of what?" The Doctor kept a pleasant smile on his face.
"Must've been one hell of a party." She glanced at Zuri like, is he serious?
"Oh, you're on Satellite Five." Suki piped up.
He nodded. "What's Satellite Five?"
"Come on," Cathica was exasperated. "How could you get on board without knowing where you are?"
"Look at me, I'm stupid." The Doctor kept his pleasant smile, but Zuri rolled her eyes.
"Hang on, wait a minute," Suki spoke again. "Are you a test? Some sort of management test thing?"
"You've got us." Zuri finally spoke up. "Well done. Not many of the people we spoke with before caught on, reflected poorly on their assessments."
The Doctor nodded, pulling out his psychic paper. "You're too clever for us."
"We were warned about this in basic training, all workers have to be versed in company promotion."
Cathica nodded, straightening up. "Right. Fire away, ask your questions. If it gets me to Floor Five hundred, I'll do anything."
"Why, what happens on Floor Five hundred?" The Doctor asked.
"The walls are made of gold." She answered as though it should be obvious. "And you should know... Mr. Management. So, this is what we do."
She led the pair over to a screen, flashing through several stories. Suki gave a nervous smile.
"Latest news." Cathica continued. "Sandstorms on the new Venus archipelago, two hundred dead. Glasgow water riots into their third day. Spacelane thirty-seven closed by sunspot activity. And over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Boe has just announced he's pregnant."
Zuri snorted. "Remind me to ask about that." She muttered to the Doctor.
He gave her a strange look but dropped it. "I get it. You broadcast the news."
"We are the news," Cathica stated. "We're the journalists, we write it, package it, and sell it. Six hundred channels all coming out of Satellite Five. Broadcasting everywhere."
Zuri nodded along, knowing they were being watched.
"Nothing happens in the whole human empire without it going through us."
The loudspeaker above them echoed. All staff are reminded that the canteen area now has self-cleaning tables, thank you. A loud horn blared, and the crowds dispersed, revealing Adam and Rose at a table.
"Oi!" The Doctor shouted. "Mutt and Jeff! Over here."
Rose beamed, bouncing over, while Adam paused. He seemed to think a moment before shoving a phone in his pocket. He jogged over as the group followed Suki and Cathica into a smaller room.
The walls were backlit white, and there was a chair, like in a dental office sat in the middle. Surrounded by smaller platforms on the floor. These smaller platforms had handprints on them, and each one had an employee seated in front of it.
The four of them stopped behind a rail that ran the outside of the room. Zuri stepped closer to the Doctor, the room giving her the creeps. He placed a hand on her back as Cathica steeped towards the chair.
"Now, everybody behave, we've got a management inspection." She turned to the group on the sidelines. "How do you want it? By the book?"
"Oh right from scratch thanks." He turned to smirk at Zuri.
She gave him a soft smile. "Sounds good."
"Okay, so, ladies, gentlemen, multi sex, undecided, or robot, my name is Cathica Santini Kadainy. That's Cathica with a 'C', in case you want to write to Floor Five hundred praising me. And please do."
The Doctor gave a noncommittal head nod.
"Now please feel free to ask any questions, the process of news gathering must be open, honest, and non-biased. That's company policy."
Suki piped up from her spot on the floor, "Actually, it's the law."
"Yes, thank you, Suki." Cathica seemed irritated. "Okay, keep it calm... Don't show off for the guests." She lay in the dentist's looking chair, making Zuri shiver. The people around the edge placed their hands in the slots on the floor pads. Cathica clicked her fingers, and a door in her forehead opened up, revealing her brain. The Doctor and Zuri looked mildly disgusted, Rose was alarmed, and Adam leaned forward for a better look. Zuri glanced his way but kept her face neutral.
"Engage safety... And three, two, spike."
From above the chair, a blue light flashed, streaming into Cathica's head. Zuri was reminded of the light from when she jumped and turned away.
"Compressed information, streaming into her." The Doctor explained to the other two. "Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer."
Zuri turned back around, though she avoided looking at the chair. "She doesn't remember, of course, it's too much, her head would explode. The ones 'round the edge are connected, broadcasting six hundred channels."
"Now that's what I call power." The Doctor said grimly.
Rose turned to Adam. "You alright?"
"I can see her brain." He breathed.
"Do you want to get out?"
"No, no. This technology, it's... it's amazing!"
"This technology's wrong." The Doctor informed.
"Trouble?" Rose grinned.
"Oh yeah."
Suki gasped, pulling her hands back from the connection. The other staff members were forced to pull their hands back as well. The lights dimmed, and the compressed information streaming into Cathica stopped. Her eyes opened and the door in her head closed.
"Come off it Suki, I wasn't even halfway! What was that for?"
"Sorry, it must have been a glitch." She offered apologetically.
The loudspeaker sounded in the room and a projection flashed to life on the wall. Promotion.
Cathica began praying a little too hard. "This is it. Come on. Make it me. Come on, say my name."
Promotion for... Suki Macrae Cantrell.
Suki's mouth dropped open, but Cathica looked gutted.
Please proceed to Floor Five hundred.
Suki stood and stared at the projection like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "I don't believe it... Floor Five hundred."
"How the hell did you manage that?" Cathica ranted. "I'm above you!"
"I dunno, I just applied on the off chance. And they've said yes!"
"That is so not fair, I've been applying for three years."
"What's Floor Five hundred?" Rose whispered.
The Doctor leaned over to mutter in her ear, "The walls are made of gold."
The group stood by the elevator, wishing good luck to Suki.
"Cathica, I'm going to miss you. Floor Five hundred..." Suki turned to the Doctor. "Thank you!"
"I didn't do anything..."
"Well, you're my good luck charm."
"All right." The Doctor extended his arms. "I'll hug anyone."
He hugged a giggling Suki, but almost immediately stepped back to Zuri's side. He pulled her into a side hug, and she nuzzled into him. This may be one of the milder episodes with Nine, but knowing what they accomplished here would set up the Bad Wolf episodes...
The Doctor was concerned. From what he understood, this Zuri was fairly early in her timeline. The Zuri he was coming to know was older. But he wouldn't let his knowledge of her future affect how he felt about her. Still, it seemed she had been through a lot recently, and it was showing. She was quiet and withdrawn. Her responses, to his jokes and the events happening around them, were muted if they were there at all.
His musing was interrupted by Suki's exclamation. "Oh my god, I've got to go. Can't keep them waiting." She grabbed her bag off the floor and backed into the elevator. "I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me."
The doors closed as Rose and the Doctor waved. Cathica looked away sourly.
"Good riddance."
"You're talking like you'll never see her again." The Doctor commented. "She's only going upstairs."
"We won't," Zuri spoke. "Once you go, you don't come back."