Chapter 4: The Shakespeare Code
There is no interlude between this episode and the last because their wasn't enough content to make it worth a chapter without turning this into a Martha bashing fic and making the Doctor want to through her out of the TARDIS before the get to Shakespearian London. Without further ado, we begin.
The Tardis was still bucking, and Martha was hanging on to the console.
"But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?"
"Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight."
The Tardis came to a halt, and Martha fell to the floor.
"Blimey. Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?"
"Yes, and I failed it. Now, make the most of it. I promised you one trip, and one trip only. Outside this door, brave new world." (The Tempest.)
"Where are we?" Martha asked,
" We'll take a look, I have to get Petra."
The Doctor opened a door and left the console room leaving Martha to wonder who on earth Petra was.
The Doctor came back holding a fluffy bundle, "Martha, meet my daughter Petra, Petra this is Martha, she is a nice lady." The Doctor said to Martha as he showed her the bundle, which just so happened to be a baby wrapped in a fluffy shawl.
"You have a daughter?" She asked him quite surprised,
"I mentioned to her you several times Martha, after you" he said pointing to the door she opens it to reveal washing hanging on lines below the overhanging eaves.
"Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God, we did it. We travelled in time. Where are we? No, sorry. I got to get used to this whole new language. When are we?"
"Mind out." The Doctor said as he pulled Martha back as a man emptied his toilet bucket from an upstairs window. "Gardez l'eau." The same man yelled.
"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Sorry about that."
"I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift AE. But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?"
"Of course we can. Why do you ask?"
"It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race"
"Tell you what then, don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?"
"What if, I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather?"
"Are you planning to?"
"No."
"Well, then."
"And this is London?"
"I think so. Round about 1599
"Oh, but hold on. Am I all right? I'm not going to get carted off as a slave, am I?"
"Why would they do that?"
"Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed."
"I'm not even human. Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me. Besides, you'd be surprised. Elizabethan England, not so different from your time. Look over there. They've got recycling." He pointed at a man shovelling horse manure into a bucket. "Water cooler moment." He pointed at two men talked at a water barrel. "And the world will be consumed by flame." A prophet preached, "Global warming. Oh, yes, and entertainment. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark, right next to..." The Doctor gots Martha to run along from the south end of old London Bridge, past St Mary Ovarie to a view of, "Oh, yes, the GLOBE THEATRE. Brand new. Just opened. Through, strictly speaking, it's not a globe, it's a tetra-decagon. Fourteen sides. Containing the man himself."
"Whoa, you don't mean. Is Shakespeare in there?"
"Oh, yes. Miss Jones, will you accompany me to the theatre?"
"Mister Tyler, I will."
"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare."
"Then I could get sectioned."
Their performance had just finished, and the packed audience of about three thousand where applauding the actors. The Doctor and Martha have been watching with the rest of the groundlings, Petra was sitting up in the Doctors arms staring intently as the funny men pranced around on the stage
"That's amazing, just AMAZING. It's worth putting up with the smell, and those are men dressed as women, yeah?" Martha checked with the Doctor,
"London never changes." He said with a grin,
"Where's Shakespeare? I want to see Shakespeare. Author! Author! Do people shout that? Do they shout Author?"
"Author,Author," a groundlings beside her called, the crowd took up the chant.
"Well, they do now." The Doctor told her
Shakespeare came onto the stage, very full of himself, to the rapturous applause.
"He's a bit different from his portraits."
A pretty ginger lady dressed was like an aristocrat, and was sitting alone in one of the upper boxes. She took a doll with a strand of hair stuck to its head from her purse.
"Genius. He's a genius. The genius. The most human human there's ever been. Now we're going to hear him speak. Always he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words." The Doctor said
"Ah, shut your big fat mouths." Shakespeare shouted to the crowd who laugh.
"Oh, well." The Doctor said only slightly disappointed,
"You should never meet your heroes."
"You've got excellent taste, I'll give you that. Oh, that's a wig." Shakespeare said, still entertaining the crowd.
The ginger woman pulled the hair on her doll and recited "Wind the craft of ancient harm. The time approaches for our charm."
"I know what you're all saying. Love's Labour's Lost, that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops. Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon. Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius." Shakespeare suddenly went rigged just as the ginger woman kisses her doll. "When? Tomorrow night. The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it Love's Labour's Won." Shakespeare continued
A short while later, everyone was filing out of the theatre.
"I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of Love's Labour's Won." Martha said to the Doctor,
"Exactly. The lost play. It doesn't exist, only in rumours. It's mentioned in lists of his plays but never ever turns up. And no one knows why."
"Have you got a mini-disc or something? We can tape it. We can flog it. Sell it when we get home and make a mint."
"No."
"That would be bad."
"Yeah,"
"Well, how come it disappeared in the first place?"
"Well, I was just going to give you a quick little trip in the Tardis and let Petra see a new time period, but I suppose we could stay a bit longer."
The Doctor and Martha had found Shakespeare's rooms in a place called the Elephant Inn, "Hello! Excuse me, not interrupting, am I? Mister Shakespeare, isn't it?" The Doctor said,
"Oh, no. No, no, no. Who let you in? No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask where I get my ideas from. Thanks for the interest. Now be a good boy and shove" Shakespeare said before noticing Martha and saying "Hey, nonny nonny. Sit right down here next to me. You two get sewing on them costumes. Off you go."
"Come on, lads. I think our William's found his new muse." The innkeeper Dolly told the actors,
"Sweet lady." Shakespeare said to Martha
Dolly, and the actors left. Martha and the Doctor sat at the table with Petra sitting in his lap gurgling happily.
"Such unusual clothes, so fitted, and a man carrying a baby, strange"
"Er, verily, forsooth, egads." Martha said attempting to speak like a Tudor,
"No, no, don't do that. Don't."
The Doctor showed Shakespeare his psychic paper.
"I'm Sir Doctor of Tardis this is my companion, Miss Martha Jones, and this is my daughter Petra Tyler,"
"Interesting, that bit of paper. It's blank."
"Oh, that's very clever. That proves it. Absolute genius."
"No, it says so right there. Sir Doctor, Martha Jones and Petra Tyler it says so."
"And I say it's blank."
"Psychic paper. Er, long story. Oh, I hate starting from scratch."
"Psychic? Never heard that before and words are my trade. Who are you exactly? More's the point, who is your delicious blackamoor lady?"
"What did you say?" Martha said affronted,
"Oops. Isn't that a word we use nowadays? An Ethiop girl? A swarth? A Queen of Afric?"
"I can't believe I'm hearing this."
"It's political correctness gone mad. Er, Martha's from a far-off land. Freedonia."
A man in expensive clothes and wearing a gold chain of office entered. He was the official censor, from the Lord Chamberlain's office.
"EXCUSES ME. Hold hard a moment. This is abominable behaviour. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mister Shakespeare. As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be performed."
"Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'll send it round." Shakespeare told him
"I don't work to your schedule, you work to mine. The script, NOW"
"I can't."
"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled."
The ginger aristocrat from earlier now dressed as a maid left quietly.
"It's all go around here, isn't it?" Martha said.l,
"I'm returning to my office for a banning order. If it's the last thing I do, Love's Labour's Won will never be played."
The man left and went down the stairs. Where he was accosted by the beautiful ginger woman that was first dressed as an aristocrat and now looks like a maid, "Oh, sorry, sir. Begging your pardon, sir. Mind you don't hurt that handsome head of yours." She said as she stroked his hair.
"Hold hard, wanton woman." He said loudly for everyone to hear before saying quietly "I shall return later."
He left. The Ginger Woman held up a lock of his hair she ran up to a quiet corner and got out her doll. "Oh, my mothers, there's one seeks to stop the performance tomorrow." She whispers to the doll "BUT IT MUST BE TOMORROW" "LOVE LABOURS WON MUST BE PREFORMED" her mothers said to her. She changed the hair in the doll. "Fear not. Chant with me. Water damps the fiercest flame."
She dunked the doll into a pail of water. Walking along, the Master of Reals suddenly clutched his throat and swayed.
Back in Shakespeare's room Martha said "Well then, mystery solved. That's Love's Labour's Won over and done with. Thought it might be be something more, you know, more mysterious."
A man's scream came from the street, then a woman's. The Doctor (still carrying Petra), Martha, and Shakespeare rushed out to investigate.
"HELP ME," a random woman yelled
The Master of Reals staggered back, spewing copious amounts of water.
"It's that Lynley bloke." Martha asked,
"What's wrong with him? Leave it to me. I'm a doctor." The Doctor shouted as he rushed forwards
"So am I, near enough."
The Ginger woman took the doll out of the water.
"Stab the flesh and stop the heart." She stabbed the doll with a pin. "Eternal sleep is thine. She pulled the doll's head off.
The Master of Reals collapsed "Got to get the heart going. Mister Lynley, come on. Can you hear me? You're going to be all right." Martha said as she started to clear Lynley's airways for CPR, and water gushed out. "What the hell is that?"
"I've never seen a death like it. His lungs are full of water. He drowned and then, I don't know, like a blow to the heart, an invisible blow." The Doctor said as Petra started crying,
The ginger woman watched from a balcony.
"Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humours. A natural if unfortunate demise. Call a constable and have him taken away."
"Yes, sir." Said Dolly the landlady
"I'll do it, ma'am." The Ginger Woman offered, she left, smiling.
"And why are you telling them that?"
"This lot still have got one foot in the Dark Ages. If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think it was witchcraft."
"Okay, what was it then?"
"Witchcraft."
"I got you a room, Sir Doctor. You and Miss Jones and the baby are just across the landing."
"Poor Lynley. So many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor?"
"Where a woman can do what she likes."
"And you, Sir Doctor. How can a man so young have eyes so old?"
"I do a lot of reading."
"A trite reply. Yes, that's what I'd do. And you? You look at him like you're surprised he exists. He's as much of a puzzle to you as he is to me."
"I think we should say goodnight." Martha said as she left
"I must work. I have a play to complete. But I'll get my answers tomorrow, Doctor, and I'll discover more about you and why this constant performance of yours."
"All the world's a stage." (As You Like It,) "Hmm. I might use that. Goodnight, Doctor."
"Nighty night, Shakespeare."
In the room that they where renting Martha was holding a candle and taking, "It's not exactly five star, is it?"
"Oh, it'll do. I've seen worse."
"I haven't even got a toothbrush."
"Oh. Er." The Doctor rootlet around in his pocket and produced one,
"Contains Venusian spearmint."
"So, who's going where? I mean, there's only one bed."
"We'll manage. Come on."
"So, magic and stuff. That's a surprise. It's all a little bit Harry Potter."
"Wait till you read book seven Oh, I cried,"
"But is it real, though? I mean, witches, black magic and all that, it's real?"
"Course it isn't," the Doctor said as he rocked Petra trying to get her to stop crying.
"Well, how am I supposed to know? I've only just started believing in time travel. Give me a break."
"Looks like witchcraft, but it isn't. Can't be. Are you going to stand there all night?"
"Budge up a bit, then. Sorry, there's not much room. Us two here, same bed. Tongues will wag."
"There's such a thing as psychic energy, but a human couldn't channel it like that. Not without a generator the size of Taunton and I think we'd have spotted that. No, there's something I'm missing, Martha. Something really close, staring me right in the face and I can't see it. My wife would know, Rose'd know right now, she'd say exactly the right thing, and be able to get Petra to stop crying. You're a novice, never mind. I'll take you back home tomorrow."
"Great."
Martha blew out the candle.
Shakespeare was writing with his back to the window. The ginger woman glided up outside, uncorked a bottle and blew the green vapours towards him. With a susurration of voices, Shakespeare breathed it in and collapsed onto his papers. The Woman entered and held up her doll, now equipped with strings to make it a puppet holding a quill in its hand.
"Bind the mind and take the man. Speed the words to writer's hand." She tugged a string and Shakespeare jerked upright again, then wrote without looking at the paper as she jiggled the puppet's arm. Across the way, the Doctor was still awake while Martha slept and Petra whimpered softly into her daddy's chest. Finally Shakespeare writes finis, and slumped again. Lilith stroked his head.
"Will?" Dolly said,
Dolly entered with a broom.
"Finished cleaning just in time for your special treat. Oh, aye. I'm not the first, then."
The Ginger Haired Woman called Lilith turned round, her face having changed into that of a witch.
"I'll take that to aid my flight and you shall speak no more this night."
Lilith snatched the broom, and Dolly screamed. The Doctor and Martha jumped out of bed and ran into the room. Shakespeare woke up.
"What? What was that?" He asked
Dolly had collapsed. Martha went to the window and saw an archetypal witch on a broomstick silhouetted against the full moon. Lilith cackled.
"Her heart gave out. She died of fright." The Doctor confirmed
"Doctor?"
"What did you see?"
"A witch."
Later, a cockerel crowd and dogs started barking at the rising sun.
"Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey. She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place when we all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit."
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light."(Dylan Thomas.)
"I might use that."
"You can't. It's someone else's."
"But the thing is, Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright, and they were both connected to you."
"You're accusing me?"
"No, but I saw a witch, big as you like, flying, cackling away, and you've written about witches."
"I have? When was that?"
"Not, not quite yet." The Doctor whispered to her,
"Peter Streete spoke of witches."
"Who's Peter Streete?" Martha asked
"Our builder. He sketched the plans to the Globe."
"The architect. Hold on. The architect! The architect! The Globe. COME ON," the Doctor yelled as he ran out of the room, Petra tied to his chest.
"The columns there, right? Fourteen sides. I've always wondered, but I never asked. Tell me, Will. Why fourteen sides?" The Doctor asked Shakespeare when they got to the Globe,
"It was the shape Peter Streete thought best, that's all. Said it carried the sound well."
"Fourteen. Why does that ring a bell? Fourteen."
"There's fourteen lines in a sonnet." Martha told him,
"So there is. Good point. Words and shapes following the same design. Fourteen lines, fourteen sides, fourteen facets. Oh, my head. Tetra-decagon. Think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, lines,"
"This is just a theatre."
"Oh yeah, but a theatre's magic, isn't it? You should know. Stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis a the right time. Oh, you can make men weep, or cry with joy. Change them. You can change people's minds just with words in this place. But if you exaggerate that."
"It's like your police box. Small wooden box with all that power inside."
"Oh. Oh, Martha Jones, I like you. Tell you what, though. Peter Streete would know. Can I talk to him?"
"You won't get an answer. A month after finishing this place, lost his mind."
"Why? What happened?" Martha asked,
"Started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling. His mind was addled."
To that the Doctor asked"Where is he now?"
"Bedlam."
"What's Bedlam?"
"Bethlem Hospital. The madhouse."
"We're going to go there. Right now. Come on."
"Wait, I'm coming with you. I want to witness this at first hand." Shakespeare told the Doctor
Two young men entered and Shakespeare said
"Ralph, the last scene as promised. Copy it, hand it round, learn it, speak it. Back before curtain up. And remember, kid, project. Eyes and teeth. You never know, the Queen might turn up. As if. She never does."
When they got to Southwark Shakespeare said to Martha "So, tell me of Freedonia, where women can be doctors, writers, actors."
"This country's ruled by a woman."
"Ah, she's royal. That's God's business. Though you are a royal beauty."
"Whoa, Nelly. I know for a fact you've got a wife in the country."
"But Martha, this is Town."
"Come on. We can all have a good flirt later."
"Is that a promise, Doctor?"
"Oh, fifty seven academics just punched the air. Now move." The Doctor said referencing the academics that thought Shakespeare was gay.
When they got to Bedlam the Keeper of the Hospital said "Does my Lord Doctor wish some entertainment while he waits? I'd whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show for you. Mad dog in Bedlam."
"No, I don't." The Doctor said disgusted,
"Well, wait here, my lords, while I make him decent for the lady."
The Keeper of the Hospital walked on down the corridor with cells on either side.
"So this is what you call a hospital, yeah? Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry? And you put your friend in here?"
"Oh, it's all so different in Freedonia."
"But you're clever. Do you honestly think this place is any good?"
"I've been mad. I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set me right again. It serves its purpose."
"Mad in what way?"
"You lost your son."
"My only boy. The Black Death took him. I wasn't even there."
"I didn't know. I'm sorry."
"It made me question everything. The futility of this fleeting existence. To be or not to be. Oh, that's quite good."
"You should write that down." The Doctor told him,
"Maybe not. A bit pretentious?"
"This way, my lord." The Keeper called the to Streete's cell
In the cell there was a hunched figure in rags who had his back to them.
"They can be dangerous, my lord. Don't know their own strength." The Keeper told them,
"I think it helps if you don't whip them. Now get out," the Doctor said really rather harshly,
The keeper left, "Peter? Peter Streete?"
"He's the same as he was. You'll get nothing out of him."
"Peter?" The Doctor touched Streete's shoulder and he raised his head, staring. The Doctor put his fingers on Streete's temples. "Peter, I'm the Doctor. Go into the past. One year ago. Let your mind go back. Back to when everything was fine and shining. Everything that happened in this year since happened to somebody else. It was just a story. A Winter's Tale. Let go. That's it. That's it, just let go." He lay Streete down on his cot, "Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches."
"Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered. They whispered. Got Peter to build the Globe to their design. Their design, The fourteen walls. Always fourteen. When the work was done they snapped poor Peter's wits."
"Where did Peter see the witches? Where in the city? Peter, tell me. You've got to tell me where were they?"
"All Hallows Street"
"Too many words." Said an ugly witch called Doomfinger who had teleported into the cell,
"What the hell?" Said Marth,
"Just one touch of the heart." Doomfinger cackled,
"NO"
Doomfinger put her hand on Streete's chest, and he died.
"Witch, I'm seeing a witch." Shakespeare freaked out,
"Now, who would be next, hmm? Just one touch. Oh, oh, I'll stop your frantic hearts. Poor, fragile mortals."
"Let us out. LET US OUT!"
"That's not going to work. The whole building's shouting that."
"Who will die first, hmm?"
"Well, if you're looking for volunteers." The Doctor said, passing Petra to Martha who said "No, DON'T!"
"Doctor, can you stop her?" Shakespeare asked
"No mortal has power over me."
"Oh, but there's a power in words. If I can find the right one. If I can just know you."
"None on Earth has knowledge of us,"
"Then it's a good thing I'm here. Now think, think, think. Humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy. AH, FOURTEEN, THAT'S IT, FOURTEEN, The fourteen stars of the Rexel planetary configuration. Creature, I name you CARRIONITE," Doomfinger screamed and vanished in a slow flash of light.
"What did you do?" Martha asked, holding Petra out in front of her as if she had no idea what to do with her.
"I named her. The power of a name. That's old magic." The Doctor said taking Petra out of Martha's outstretched arms.
"But there's no such thing as magic."
"Well, it's just a different sort of science. You lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom. Carrionites use words instead."
"Use them for what?" Shakespeare queried,
"The end of the world." The Doctor said straight faced and unperturbed. "The Carrionites disappeared way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend."
"Well, I'm going for real."
"But what do they want?"
"A new empire on Earth. A world of bones and blood and witchcraft."
"But how?"
"I'm looking at the man with the words."
"Me? But I've done nothing."
"Hold on, though. What were you doing last night, when that Carrionite was in the room?" Martha asked,
"Finishing the play."
"What happens on the last page?"
"The boys get the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all as funny and thought provoking as usual. Except those last few lines. Funny thing is, I don't actually remember writing them"
"That's it. They used you. They gave you the final words like a spell, like a code. Love's Labour's Won. It's a weapon. The right combination of words, spoken at the right place, with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter. The play's the thing. (Hamlet) And yes, you can have that."
They traveled to Shakespeares rooms and The Doctor looked at a hopelessly inaccurate map, and pointed to one of the three marked streets, which is actually where Thames Street is in reality.
"All Hallows Street. There it is. Martha, we'll track them down. Will, you get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop that play." The Doctor said while setting Petra down on a padded bench,
"I'll do it. All these years I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."
"Oh, don't complain." Martha told him,
"I'm not. It's marvellous. Good luck, Doctor."
"Good luck, Shakespeare. Once more unto the breach." (Henry V)
"I like that. Wait a minute, that's one of mine."Poking his head around door The Doctor said "Oh, just shift,"
"All Hallows Street, but which house?"
"The thing is, though am I missing something here? The world didn't end in 1599. It just didn't. Look at me. I'm living proof."
"Oh, how to explain the mechanics of the infinite temporal flux? I know. Back to the Future. It's like Back to the Future"
"The film?"
"No, the novelisation. Yes, the film. Marty McFly goes back and changes history."
"And he starts fading away. Oh my God, am I going to fade?"
"You and the entire future of the human race, including Petra her Mum would never have existed. It ends right now in 1599 if we don't stop it. But which house?" A door creaked open invitingly. "Ah. Make that witch house."
"I take it we're expected."
"Oh, I think Death has been waiting for you a very long time." Lilith told him
"Right then, it's my turn. I know how to do this. I name thee CARRIONITE! What did I do wrong? Was it the finger?"
"The power of a name works only once. Observe. I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee Martha Jones."
Martha fell backwards into the Doctor's arms.
"What have you done?"
"Only sleeping, alas. It's curious. The name has less impact. She's somehow out of her time. And as for you, Sir Doctor. Fascinating. There is no name. Why would a man hide his title in such despair? Oh, but look. There's still one word with the power that aches."
"The naming won't work on me."
"But your heart grows cold. The north wind blows and carries down the distant"she paused savouring the effect and said in a whisper "Rose."
"Oh, big mistake. Because that name keeps me fighting. The Carrionites vanished. Where did you go?"
"The Eternals found the right word to banish us into deep darkness."
"And how did you escape?"
"New words. New and glittering, from a mind like no other."
"Shakespeare."
"His son perished. The grief of a genius. Grief without measure. Madness enough to allow us entrance."
"How many of you?"
"Just the three. But the play tonight shall restore the rest. Then the human race will be purged as pestilence. And from this world we will lead the universe back into the old ways of blood and magic."
"Hmm. Busy schedule. But first you've got to get past me."
"Oh, that should be a pleasure, considering my enemy has such a handsome shape."
"Now, that's one form of magic that's definitely not going to work on me."
"Oh, we'll see." Lilith pulled some hairs from his head, successfully completing the same trick again.
"What did you do?" The Doctor said slightly worried now
"Souvenir."
"Well, give it back."
Lilith flew out of the window backwards. They where on the upper floor.
"Well, that's just cheating."
"Behold, Doctor. Men to Carrionites are nothing but puppets.
Lilith wrapped his hair around a wooden doll, while Martha woke up Martha wakes slowly.
"Now, you might call that magic. I'd call that a DNA replication module."
"What use is your science now?"
Lilith stabbed the doll, The Doctor screamed and fell. Lilith flew away.
"Oh my God, Doctor. Don't worry, I've got you. Hold on, mister. Two hearts?"
"You're making a habit of this. Ahhh, I've only got one heart working. How do you people cope? I've got to get the other one started. Hit me, Hit me on the chest. Gah, Other side. Now, on the back, on the back. Left a bit. Gah, lovely. There we go. Badda booma. Well, what are you standing there for? Come one, the Globe."
Meanwhile in the Globe Theatre, Lilith joined her mothers in their box.
"The Doctor?" Doomfinger asked,
"Dead." Lilith told her smirking,
"The ladies have prepared a show. Maria means to present Isis descending from the dewy orb of Heaven. Ah, here comes Costard." Burbage said,
The crowd cheered
"We're going the wrong way." Martha told the Doctor as they ran to the globe,
"No, we're not." The Doctor said before realising that they actually were and said "We're going the wrong way,"
In the globe theatre Burbage said "Behold the swainish sight of woman's love. Pish, It's out of season to be heavy disposed."
"It is now, my mothers. The final words to activate the tetra-decagon."
"Betwixt Dravidian shores and linear five nine three oh one six seven point oh two, and strikes the fulsome grove of Rexel Four. Co-radiating crystal, ACTIVATED"
A wind filled the theatre.
"The portal opens. It BEGINS"
A storm ragged over the Globe. The audience panicked and ran, but the witches slammed the doors shut to stop them. The Doctor and Martha found Shakespeare waking up.
"Stop the play. I think that was it. Yeah, I said, stop the play." The Doctor said exasperated,
"I hit my head."
"Yeah, don't rub it, you'll go bald. I think that's my cue."
"Now begins the millennium of blood." The Carrionites screamed triumphantly,
The Doctor ran out onto the stage, followed by Martha and Shakespeare.
"The Doctor. He lives. Then watch this world become a blasted heath! (Macbeth) They come. THEY COME"
Lilith held the crystal out into the red light and bat-like creatures flew into the theatre. They circled a bit then flew up into the sky
"Come on, Will! History needs you."
"But what can I do?"
"Reverse it,"
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius. The only man clever enough to do it."
"But what words? I have none ready,"
"You're William Shakespeare,"
"But these Carrionite phrases, the need such precision."
"Trust yourself. When you're locked away in your room, the words just come, don't they, like magic. Words of the right sound, the right shape, the right rhythm. Words that last forever. That's what you do, Will. You choose perfect words. Do it. Improvise."
"Close up this din of hateful, dire decay, decomposition of your witches' plot. You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am NOT,"
"NO, WORDS OF POWER." The Carrionites screamed,
"Foul Carrionite spectres, cease your show. Between the points"
"Seven six one three nine oh," the Doctor interjected,
"Seven six one three nine oh. Banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee."
"Expelliarmus." Martha called out,
"Expelliarmus." The Doctor Shouted to Shakespeare
"EXPELLIARMUS" Shakespeare yelled to the Carrionites
"Good old JK."
The Carrionites screamed
"The deep darkness, they are consumed."
The Carrionites where sucked into a tornado, along with all the extant pages of the play.
"Love's Labour's Won. There it goes."
The sky cleared with a flash and bang. After a few moments, someone started clapping, then all the audience joins in.
"They think it was all special effects?" Martha asked utterly confused,
"Your effect is special indeed." Shakespeare said to Martha still trying to flirt with her,
"It's not your best line."
Shakespeare and Martha took their bows. Meanwhile, the Doctor went up to the now empty box and picked up the crystal. Lilith and her mothers where inside, scratching to get at him.
The next morning Shakespeare and Martha where talking on the stage,
"And I say, a heart for a hart and a dear for a deer."
"I don't get it."
"Then give me a joke from Freedonia." Shakespeare challenge her,
"Okay, Shakespeare walks into a pub and the landlord says, Oi mate, you're Bard."
"That's brilliant. Doesn't make sense, mind you, but never mind that. Now come here."
Shakespeare put his arm around Martha's waist and pulled her towards him.
"I've only just met you."
"The Doctor may never kiss you. Why not entertain a man who will?"
"I don't know how to tell you this, oh great genius, but your breath doesn't half stink."
The Doctor entered wearing a small stiff ruff and carrying Petra and an animal skull.
"Good props store back there. I'm not sure about this though. Reminds me of a Sycorax."
"Sycorax. (Character in the Tempest) Nice word. I'll have that off you as well."
"I should be on ten percent. How's your head?"
"Still aching."
"Here, I got you this."
The Doctor took off the ruff and put it on Shakespeare."
"Neck brace. Wear that for a few days till it's better, although you might want to keep it. It suits you."
"What about the play?"
"Gone. I looked all over. Every single copy of Love's Labour's Won went up in the sky."
"My lost masterpiece."
"You could write it up again."
"Yeah, better not, Will. There's still power in those words. Maybe it should best stay forgotten."
"Oh, but I've got new ideas. Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons, in memory of my boy, my precious Hamnet."
"Hamnet?"
"That's him."
"Hamnet?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Anyway, time we were off. I've got a nice attic in the Tardis where this lot can scream for all eternity, and I've got to take Martha back to Freedonia."
"You mean travel on through time and space."
"You what?"
"You're from another world like the Carrionites, and Martha is from the future. It's not hard to work out."
"That's incredible. You are incredible."
"We're alike in many ways, Doctor. Martha, let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate."
Burbage and Kempe entered from the street.
"Will,"
"Will, you'll never believe it. She's here. She's turned up."
"We're the talk of the town. She heard about last night. She wants us to perform it again."
"Who?" Martha asked the actors,
"Her Majesty. She's here."
There was fanfare and the elderly Elizabeth entered with two pikemen.
"Queen Elizabeth the First,"
"Doctor?"
"What?"
"My sworn enemy."
"What?"
"Off with his head,"
"What?"
"Never mind what, just run! See you, Will, and thanks."
"Stop that pernicious Doctor."
Shakespeare laughs as the pikemen chased the Doctor and Martha out and into the streets of Southwark.
"Stop in the name of the Queen,"
"What have you done to upset her?"
"How should I know? Haven't even met her yet. That's time travel for you. Still, can't wait to find out."
They got to the Tardis and he let Martha in.
"That's something to look forward to. Ooo,"
The Doctor got inside and shut the door as an arrow thudded into it, just like in Silver Nemesis.
That's the 5th chapter done, I hope you like it. Please review and tell me what you think and tell me what I've done wrong.
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