DOCTOR WHO: RISE OF THE SMILERS
Chapter 2
Mist had settled in on the night as Rory left the base draped in Liz's red velvet hood. He was incredibly nervous and for some reason his legs wobbled as he walked along. He'd only seen drawings and photographs of Smilers and they didn't look too bad compared to Silurians and Headless Monks and Amy seemingly didn't appear too phased by them, but Rory was just a completely different kettle of fish. He'd always been naturally nervous throughout his life whether it was when he was first to go on the swings at the park as a youngster or to asking Amy out for the first time, Rory was nervous. Always had been and always will be. Well he suspects he always will be.
"Smilers…they're just a mannequin that disintegrates people on occasion….nothing major Rory…" he muttered to himself as he idled along wary of Smilers popping into view at any moment. His shoes echoed along the pavement and as the hood and cape draped behind him, Rory just felt silly. "I'm flippin' Red Riding Hood…" he then muttered but his grumbles were soon cut short as through the mist created by the factories on Bonsarviss, Rory could see three figures facing away from him and they all looked familiar in their outlines. Suddenly one twitched as its noticed Rory's presence and it turned around slowly to reveal a face that showed no emotion. Rory just froze for a moment as the Smiler approached him.
"You are not recognised." the Smiler bellowed. "Identify yourself."
"Rory, Rory Williams….of Earth." Rory answered nervously. The Smiler's emotionless face then just creaked and cranked as it turned around to a frowning face of disapproval.
"You are imperfect…." the Smiler boomed. "According to the laws imposed on us by the powers on Bonsarviss 62, you do not fit our criteria Rory Williams of Earth…prepare for your end."
"How pleasant…" smiled Rory as the Smiler's face creaked and cranked once more as it switched round to reveal a face with a murderous grin. Rory leaned back as he saw a gun protruding from the Smiler's mouth, but he reacted fast as he heard the gun roar into life and he hit the Smiler on the side of its head with his elbow. The Smiler crashed to the floor and fell silent. Rory was surprised with himself and quickly stamped on the Smiler several times to make sure it fell lifeless. The other two Smilers soon approached but Rory dispatched of them in a similar fashion and was quite impressed with himself.
"Oh…" he smiled. "You ask for one and I provide two extra for free…" he added as he then began slowly to haul one of the Smiler's back to the base.
Amy meanwhile was making tea and coffee at the base to make herself feel useful. It wasn't one of the most glamorous things she'd ever done but considering everyone else was analysing in great detail the set-up and mechanisms of Smilers, Amy felt the tea and coffee was more on her level.
"Pond, you can join in if you want…" the Doctor said as he noticed her with a tray-full of cups.
"Not yet…" Amy replied as she then sipped some tea. "I'm just waiting for Rory to come back. It always worries me whenever he's off out doing your job…"
"He'll be fine Amy…" the Doctor reassured. "Rory's punched Hitler – Smilers are nothing compared to that."
"This is Rory you're on about, remember?" Amy said visibly concerned.
"He will be fine!" the Doctor reiterated. Liz, Dennis and Helen could see the pair of them were both worried for their comrade and could easily relate to that. Simon Dahl, their colleague had now been gone for longer than he had ever been while out on a supplies haul and this had worried them all. Liz needed to act quick and soon decided on a plan.
"Right you two…" she said to Amy and the Doctor. "We're seeing the leader of the Corridors of Power…I don't care how ridiculous that sounds."
"Were what?" Amy said surprised.
"Malcolm Montgomery…" smiled the Doctor. "Is he bald yet?"
"Nearly…" answered Liz. "…but I didn't think you knew him?"
"I don't…I just saw his face on the dartboard earlier….Dennis has quite a good aim. Me less so…" the Doctor grinned. Liz just jokingly slapped the Doctor on the head and insisted that he and Amy follow her. They had no arrangement to meet Malcolm Montgomery but Liz said that made it all the more fun.
"He hates any Quasher Brigade but I love confronting him. He knows he's doing wrong but of course he won't admit to that." she said with a smile as they slowly exited the base. A red light flared above the exit door to let everyone else know they were leaving but Amy still didn't want to go. She wanted to know Rory was safe but Liz was a very persuasive woman. She was queen after all. The walk to the government building wasn't far away and soon the three of them would arrive totally unannounced. With them off walking into the distance, back at base, worries began to set in among the Cordale's.
"Say goodbye to our queen Helen…she won't make out it alive this time." Dennis said ominously.
Down in the streets, the dark was settling in and Rory was slowly but surely hauling the Smiler back to the base. He'd sort of forgotten where it was but he roughly knew the way. Every so often he could hear the Smiler he was dragging along creak slightly as it tried to come back into life but it soon gave in. Rory grew worried as he could see other Smilers in the distance looking on wary of him with one of their own. He felt as if they were conversing with each other to discuss what action should be taken against him.
"Just get back to base…" Rory muttered quietly as he carried on but suddenly he could hear the Smiler he was dragging come fully back into life. It creaked and it cranked but its gun had stopped working. It outstretched its arms and hauled Rory to the floor and he crashed onto his side with a thud.
"You are not perfect…" the Smiler boomed deeply. "You are not perfect." Rory was scared and just panicked as the Smiler looked on with its face of horror right into his face. He just expected the worse to happen and thought it was inevitable but then he heard someone running in the distance and then through the mist he saw the glimmer of something metallic. It was a machete and the figure was running at pace towards Rory. He panicked even more and then in one swift movement, the Smiler's face was sliced off in one-fell swoop. The Smiler's arms then let go of Rory in an instant and he was free.
"What do you think you were doing dragging one of these along the streets?" the person with the machete asked. Rory soon realised the person was a woman, a young woman with short brown hair. She was very intense and certain of action.
"Erm…." thought Rory. "…research…"
"Oh, you're a quasher then?" the woman said. "You should have said…I'm Ruth Rathbourne….renegade rebel…" she added as she shook Rory's hand. He was just dumb-founded but knew he needed to get back to the base quick. That didn't look likely at this moment though…
The Bonsarviss government base is situated within an old derelict and ruined cathedral. With years of disregard to religion, cathedrals and churches vanished all over. The Corridors of Power utilise these buildings for the beginnings of their laws, laws that remove the imperfections of society. Malcolm Montgomery is a wearily aged old man and believes that people should follow his ways and if they don't, they should die. He was sitting in his office admiring one of his many grand portraits when one of his ministers came in.
"Sir…" said the minister weakly.
"What is it Leeds?" Malcolm asked exasperatedly. "I've had enough of your ramblings of late…"
"Sir…someone has attacked a Smiler…several infact." Leeds revealed.
"And?" Malcolm wondered.
"They're not registered on this planet. We have a strict policy here on Bonsarviss. No-one comes in and no-one goes. The only time you leave this planet is when you're in a coffin and you're returning to earth. So, how have they got here?" Leeds asked in wonderment. Malcolm was just about to respond but before he could, his office's doors slung open and in came three very different figures.
"All right Malcolm?" Liz beamed in her bright cockney tones. "We need a chat about your Smilers…"
"Not now Liz…not ever…" Malcolm said hoarsely. "And why have you brought a tweed-infused weird man and a red-head with you?"
"Oi!" said Amy. "I'm more than just a red-head!" The Doctor didn't protest and seemingly just walked over to Malcolm's desk and picked up a paperweight. He just let Liz continue her argument with Malcolm for some time before he finally intervened.
"Smilers are here to protect society aren't they Mr Montgomery?" he eventually asked. Malcolm didn't answer. "Well, I know they're meant to but you've programmed them to satisfy your own desires of society. That's quite a similar trait to someone who history will never forget…"
"I don't need a history lesson Mr…?" Malcolm said.
"Doctor…just the Doctor." the Doctor said simply.
"I honestly don't care Doctor. I have more pressing things to deal with. We have an unregistered member of the public out on the streets destroying Smilers. I can't have that. They have to die." Malcolm said furiously. Amy was certain this meant Rory but she didn't quite expect to hear the word destroy to be associated with her husband. It was clear though that Malcolm was not in the mood for any more of these morality lessons from the Doctor and Liz and soon guards came in. Only two came in, one for the Doctor and one for Liz. They were urgently escorted away and couldn't accept it.
"Where are you taking us?" Liz scowled. "I'm your queen…leave me!" she added angrily.
"We're keeping you away Liz." Malcolm answered. "You don't fit into my style of life and that means we kill the queen."
"You can't!" Liz screamed. "I'm the bloody queen!"
"A soon-to-be dead one at that…" Malcolm smiled. "Toodle-pip Liz and ta ra Doctor….your ginger friend is staying just for a bit of variety."
"I am not!" Amy said as Leeds grabbed a hold of her arm.
"I'd listen to her if I were you…" warned the Doctor. "She'll bite your arm if you don't do as she says. That poor lollypop man has still never recovered from that time…"
"Doctor…now is not the time for moments of digression…I'm about to be killed for heaven's sake!" Liz shouted angrily towards her bow-tied friend. With Leeds holding Amy back, no-one could do a thing and once the Doctor and Liz were finally hauled out of Malcolm's office, Leeds let go of her arm.
"She'll do fine won't she, sir?" Leeds smiled as his boss.
"Fine for what exactly?" asked Amy worriedly.
"The beginning of everything new little miss ginger….the time where the Smilers fight back and rid Bonsarviss of all its refugees. Mass killings are set to begin…"