Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. This story is based on the Doctor Who characters and universe.
Science Assassin: Chapter two
Donna looked around the hotel room which had been assigned to her. It was large and spacious, with a large double bed against one wall, covered with a metallic silver bedspread. Averting her eyes from the shining cover, Donna sat down on the bed. A door led off to a fancy ensuite, complete with bath, shower and spa. There was nothing else in the room except an empty walk in wardrobe and a small chest of drawers next to the bed with a lamp and electric alarm clock on top. Donna thought it looked rather bare.
There was an impatient knock at the door. "Come in!" Donna called.
The door swung open and the Doctor stormed in, his face red and angry.
"What's wrong?" Donna had learned to sense when the Doctor was in a temper.
The Doctor was fuming. "I'll tell you what's wrong! That poky little car park was completely full! COMPLETELY full! The parking attendant wasn't helpful at all. Told me the nearest parking space was streets away. I tried parking down a side lane, and then a parking inspector came and issued me a ticket. ME! A TICKET!" He threw a crumpled piece of paper at Donna and stormed around the room, gabbling on. "So, I had to go streets away to some public car park and then walk all the way back here!"
Donna sighed. She sat in silence for a moment while the Doctor muttered angrily in a corner, and then spoke up. "Finished?"
The Doctor turned to her. "Yes. Sorry 'bout that. Just have to vent your anger sometimes. These days Londoners are so fussy about things. Where's that tour guide woman whatever-her-name-is?"
"Don't know." Donna lay back on the bed. "I think I heard someone call her Wanda. How's your room?"
"OK, average, I expected better from a place like this." The Doctor looked around. "Quite big here compared to my room, poky little thing. I guess I didn't make a very good impression. How did you persuade them to let us stay?"
"Pretended that someone called Mr Lewis Klyne was my mentor. He's part of that science committee thing. What is it, anyway?"
"Every year the top 10 scientists in the world are chosen to be part of this committee thing, dedicated to making the world a better place or something like that. To get chosen, they have to have done some magnificent science thing, like a hugely successful invention or something."
"I see." Donna closed her eyes. "And what was all that about Mars?"
"Ah, that!" The Doctor looked up, interested. "About 30 years ago, humans discovered an alien race living deep inside the planet Mars. They're called motroids, and look exactly like humans, except they have extremely pale faces. Many moved to earth and learned how to speak and act like humans. It was like a giant treaty. Motroids get to live here, and humans get the opportunity to study Mars at close detail. It's been going for years."
Suddenly, a shrill sound rang through the air. "I think that's the dinner bell," explained the Doctor. "Come on!"
Donna stood up and followed him out into a long, winding corridor. The Doctor led her down two flights of stairs and into a large dining room. There was a long table covered in a clean white cloth and set with glistening silver cutlery and plates. Waiters in tuxedos were waiting to show them to their places.
"Good evening sir." One of the waiters led the Doctor down to a seat at the end of the table. To her annoyance, Donna was told to sit at the opposite end, far away from the Doctor. As she huffily sat down and folded her napkin over her lap, the Doctor grinned and gave her a thumbs up. One of the waiters offered her wine, which she politely refused. She asked for a soft drink instead, and was brought a can of lemonade labelled 'Bubblies'. By this time, members of the science committee were filing into the room, dressed in clean suits. A middle aged man of about 40 was seated next to Donna, and a younger man just over 25 was placed on her other side.
When everyone was seated, the waiters began bringing in silver trays with shining aluminium packets. Using tongs, the waiters placed a packet on each person's plate. Donna touched hers and recoiled her finger instantly. It was extremely hot! The young man next to her smiled, and offered to open it for her. Donna thankfully watched while he expertly used his knife and fork to open it, revealing a type of brown gravy in which dark lumps were sitting.
Donna looked around uncertainly. Next to her, the 40 year old was tucking into his own serving of pulp. Donna looked down at the mess on her plate, and felt slightly queasy. She turned to the young man sitting next to her.
"Excuse me sir, what is this?"
The man laughed. "Haven't you had this before? It's my own invention, which many hotels and restaurants have adopted because of its easiness to prepare. It's an essential balance of the necessary nutrients and vitamins blended together. It comes in many different flavours, all of which are perfectly healthy and chemical free. You can't get more organic than this." He popped a piece of his own food into his mouth.
"What's it made of?" Donna picked up one of the lumps and sniffed it suspiciously.
"It's basically made of...healthy stuff," explained the man. "Microscopic particles of all the necessary things, such as minerals, iron, calcium. There's also a secret substance invented by me mixed in." He pointed to the aluminium packets. "The food comes in these bags, which are very small but get larger when heated. When the particles are warmed, the substance makes them expand into larger portions. There are breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, dessert, supper and snack packets available on the market, all designed by me. When added up, correct portions give you the necessary dietary requirements for one day, making everyone perfectly healthy!"
"I see." Donna tentatively took a small bite. The lump on her fork was soft and squishy, and tasted of warm beef. To her surprise, she liked the flavour, although she wasn't mad on the soft texture. "Very clever," she commented.
"Thank you." The scientist looked pleased. "I first got the idea when I was 10, and have spent 16 years working on it. Finally, my work has paid off and I was chosen for the international science committee."
Donna bravely took another bite, fighting the urge to spit out the mushy texture. She glanced at the Doctor, who was chatting to an older man. His own plate was empty. To Donna's relief, waiters were beginning to collect empty plates and packets. When the proud young scientist wasn't looking, she quickly scrunched up her nearly full packet and handed it to a waiter. Then she turned to the other man next to her.
"Good evening. What did you invent?"
The man looked up at her. His eyes seemed glassy, and there were beads of sweat on his brow. He mumbled something.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. What did you say?" Donna leaned forward.
"I..." the man collapsed onto the table. In an instant the Doctor was next to him, feeling his pulse. He called to Wanda, who was sitting at her own individual table nearby. "Quick! Get a doctor!"
Wanda ran off. The Doctor turned to Donna, his face grim. "He's been poisoned."
More to come...
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