Saturday, 8 September 1888

"Its 'append again!" Jenny cried running into the parlor.

Her wife Vastra looked up from the book she was reading. The light from the window caught the lime green scales covering her skin. She was reptilian, yet humanoid and extremely beautiful. Her blue eyes focused on her human wife.

"What's happened?" she asked.

"There 'as been another murder." Jenny said, "Same cuts and everything. DI Thompson threw me off the scene before I could see much else. As if 'e didn't know 'oh I was!" Her accent grew thicker the more indignant she became.

"He probably doesn't want the rest of Scotland Yard discovering we solve half of his cases." Vastra said with a hint of amusement. "If they realized what an imbecile he really is Thompson might be out of a job."

"All of London knows the Veiled Detective 'as been solving the Yard's most baffling cases for months." Jenny smiled at her wife with pride.

"Good luck getting them to admit it."

Vastra collected her long, black coat and hat. The hat, which had garnered her rather sensational title, sported a thick, dark veil which obscured her features. The public loved it for the mystery, Vastra loved it because it disguised the fact she was a Silurian. Well that and the low level perception filter she wore as a brooch.

"Let's go invaded a crime scene." Vastra said following Jenny out the door.

After a few minutes of persuading, the policemen let Vastra and Jenny into the small backyard of 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields. Most of the men knew or had at least heard of the Veiled Detective and her mysterious partner. That didn't stop their shock that women were investigating murder. It simply wasn't done, but they had orders to let Vastra and Jenny though. Scotland Yard had grudgingly realized that they got better results working with the Veiled Detective rather than against her.

The scene was horrific. A young woman's mutilated body lay on the frozen ground, congealed blood pooling around her. The state of the body was enough to turn even Vastra's stomach. She wasn't the only one either, many of the surrounding men were trying not to be sick. The woman's throat was cut and her abdomen ripped open. It also looked like several of her organs had been removed.

Jenny focused on her vacant gray eyes. A fading bruise on the woman's cheek showed this was not her first violent encounter in recent weeks. What was left of her clothing was dirty and faded, and what was left of her body was skeletal thin. Life had been unkind and violent death just the punch line of a never-ending cosmic joke.

"Do we 'ave a name yet?" she asked DI Cole, Thompson was on the other side of the lot ignoring them.

A tall man in his late thirties looked at his notes before answering. "Been identified as a Miss Annie Chapman. She was a regular to the area, often see with her clients."

"Clients?" Vastra asked already knowing the answer.

"Prostitute." DI Cole grunted with disgust.

"Do not be so quick to judge Inspector," Vastra said, "Fate and desperation often drive people to do things out of their normal character."

Cole accepted her comment with a nod before continuing. "Injuries are much the same as Nichols' so we're assuming it's the same John."

"You are sure it one of their men?" Jenny questioned.

"Seems to be the logical conclusion. Both were prostitutes and in the same area , the dots are easy to connect."

Vastra kneeled down to inspect the body closer. She lifted her veil just enough so that she could see unhindered but no one could see her face. The cuts were clean, almost surgical. Someone clearly knew what they were doing. Vastra relayed her information to Cole and was about to stand when something caught her eye.

Three drops of a blue substance were splattered next to the woman's torso. Careful not attract attention Vastra scraped the material into a glass jar. Hiding the jar in her coat Vastra got up and faced DI Cole.

"I believe I have gathered all the information I need Inspector. We shall leave you to your crime scene." Vastra and Jenny walked away from Cole who looked slightly disappointed.

Once out of ear shot Jenny said, "Alien then?"

"So it would seem." agreed Vastra pulling out the glass containing the blue liquid. "A Haneish by the looks of it."

Jenny gasped, "Bloody 'ell! That's the last thing we need running around the city."

"Indeed. I think we may need the Doctor before this is over."

"The Doctor?" Jenny turned to her wife, "He won't 'elp us! He never 'elps anymore!"

"I know." Vastra said sadly. "But we have to try."

"Can't we investigate just a little?" asked a short potato shaped man. He was about four feet tall and dressed as a coachman, but no outfit could hide fact he wasn't human.

The Doctor turned to look at the Sontaran in annoyance. "No Strax. It doesn't concern us and it isn't my problem. Vastra and Jenny can handle the situation if they want to get involved."

Strax glared up at the much taller man. "But sir, they said the killer is a Haneish."

"Sadistic, obsessed with puzzles and patterns. Playing with their food as it were," the Doctor made a face. "It seems this ones decided to target human female prostitutes. Question is what is it doing on Earth in the first place?"

"So you are going to investigate?" said Strax.

"No." the Doctor said irritated. He adjusted his dented top hat trying to ignore his own curiosity. To cover his slip the Doctor started to walk away.

"Sir," Strax spoke up, "I request permission to express my disapproval of your current apathy."

The Doctor slowly turned back to Strax. "Permission granted." he said sarcastically.

"Sir, I express my disapproval of your current apathy!"

"Thank you, Strax. And if I ever need the opinion of a psychotic potato dwarf you'll be the first to know. Over a thousand years of saving the universe Strax, and you know what the one thing I learned is? The universe doesn't care."

"But sir!"

"No." the Doctor cut him off, "I've helped before and I've lost everything. My friends, my family, my…wife." He leaned over Strax intimidating. "I don't do this anymore."

"Fine sir." muttered Strax.

Checking his anger the Doctor stepped back. "Of course we may have a bigger problem on our hands. That girl, Clara, has been asking questions about me. We might have to do something about her."

Strax perked up, "I suggest automated laser monkeys and a grenade!"

"What?" the Doctor cried finally losing his temper.