Chapter Fifty One
(Meanwhile on Bana…)
The Doctor and Alan walked with their sons past colorful tents and marquee at the 110th annual father/son bash in Banorica. They had done several things together and they had just gotten plastic cups of Sora, a honey flavored drink. The adults got a slightly alcoholic version while Chaska and Christopher had a non-alcoholic version.
"This is good, Daddy," Chaska said after taking a sip.
"It is, isn't it," the Doctor said. "Tastes a bit like mead. Course the mead I had was far superior."
"What's that?" Christopher asked.
"A drink made of honey. It was s'posed to be the drink of the gods in ancient Greece. But I had it during a Bacchanalia when I visited there one time. What a party that was."
"Oh yes," Alan said. "I remember it well. Remember Adrasteia? She was one beautiful woman and quite a lovely dancer."
"Ah yes, she whipped herself into a frenzy after ten pots of wine, didn't she?" the Doctor said.
Chaska and Christopher looked at each other and Chaska looked up at his big brother.
"Why does Daddy do this? He starts talking about strange things and I don't know what he's talking about."
"Yeah, well, he's done this as long as I've known him, Chas," Dex said as the Doctor and Alan sniggered. "I've known him for all except two hundred of his years and he's always gone off into these weird tangents that no one can follow."
"What do you mean? Brother, can you understand what I'm saying?" the Doctor asked Alan.
"Perfectly."
They sniggered as Dex looked at the children and shook his head. The Doctor patted his eldest son on the shoulder.
"Yeah, I know I rabbit on a bit, but you have to get used to that," he said as they walked along.
They stopped by a playing field with a soccer net at one end. Above the entrance to it was a sign that said, FATHER/SON FOOTBALL. TRY YOUR LUCK AND SCORE A GOAL.
"Brilliant, they have father/son footie here," the Doctor said. "Would you like to have a go, my sons?"
"Chas can, I'm not too familiar with the sport," Dex said.
"How 'bout you, little man?" Alan asked Christopher.
"Okay," he said.
"You go first then so I can laugh when your son defeats ya," the Doctor said as Chaska giggled.
"I'll make you eat those words," Alan said.
"Mm-hm," the Doctor said as Alan and Christopher walked up to a booth beside the entrance and paid to try their luck. The man behind the booth gave Alan the football and he handed it to Christopher.
"I'll be goalie," he said, running across the field to the net.
Christopher dropped the football on the ground in front of the entrance. Meanwhile, Alan began to playfully taunt his son.
"Uh-huh, you can't get past me," he said as his son and Chaska giggled. "You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, or this…"
He turned around and began to wiggle his butt.
"Couldn't hit this if you tried," he said in a sing-song voice as he pointed to his wiggling butt.
Christopher grinned. He kicked the ball and everyone bent over laughing when it smacked right into Alan's ass.
"What was that, Daddy?" Christopher said as the Doctor leaned against Dex, howling with laughter. "You said I couldn't hit your bum?"
Alan rubbed his butt while he turned around. He looked down and saw the ball was about a foot in front of him.
"Yes, well, you didn't actually kick it into the net," he said to Christopher.
"Forget the net," the Doctor said between bursts of laughter. "I like that he got your bum instead! Chris, I'll give you 400 credits and buy you a steak dinner if you make that shot again for me and my camera."
"No!" Alan said as everyone laughed. "Just play the ball as intended. Come on; try to get it into the net with me here!"
They laughed when Christopher kicked it and it zoomed past his father straight into the back of the net. They laughed harder when Alan pretended it didn't happen.
"Come on, ya pansy, I can stop anything ya throw at me!" he said as he danced back and forth in front of the net. "You're such a weakling, you couldn't even kick the ball two inches, let alone to the back…"
He did a double take and Christopher giggled when he jumped up, spun around and stared at the ball, his mouth agape.
"What, what, what? How did that get there?" Alan said, scratching his head as he stared at the ball. "Hmmm, must have dropped through another dimension and came out a dimensional rift into the net."
"I did it, Daddy," Christopher said, coming up to him.
Alan stared at him, bug-eyed. Christopher laughed as he picked him up and stared at him as he walked back to the entrance.
"Who are you? What have you done with my son, you evil alien who can cause dimensional rifts?" he said as Christopher giggled.
He gave his son a kiss on the cheek, ran to retrieve the ball and gave it back to the man in the booth. He gave the Doctor a pointed look.
"Come, Chas, your uncle won't rest until he watches us and compares our performance to his," the Doctor said, taking his hand.
They walked over to the booth while Christopher walked over to Dex.
"Did you see what I did?"
"I did. I liked that you kicked it into the net and into your father's bum."
"That was a lucky shot," Alan said, pointing at Christopher. "My bum is still hurting from that. But I'm proud of my son. He has good aim and a hard kick; he'll make a great Time Lord."
They watched as the Doctor dropped the football to the ground in front of him while Chaska tried to defend the net. They laughed when Chaska imitated Alan and did the butt wiggling again while he pointed it.
"Son, you sure you wanna tempt fate? If I kick the ball into your bum, you'll be flattened against the back of the net," the Doctor said.
Chaska turned around and readied himself while the Doctor kicked the ball slightly towards the net. His son paused when he got the ball onto his foot and kicked it up and then did a series of knee kicks while his son watched. Then he kicked hard with his left knee and sent the ball up, knocking it into the net with his head.
"Ha! Diversion and deception, always works," the Doctor crowed as he walked toward the net. "You wanna give it a try, Chas?"
"Chaska nodded. Took the ball and walked over to the entrance while the Doctor leaned against the side of the net, yawned and examined his fingernails. Chaska aimed and kicked the ball hard into the net while the Doctor continued his fingernail inspection.
"Let me know when you're ready, Chas," he said as Chaska giggled. "That way I can be prepared and…"
His eyes bulged and he did the same double take/slack jawed maneuver Alan did as he stared at the ball.
"Blimey, I think you were right about dimensional rifts, Brother. Happened again!" he said as Chaska and Christopher giggled.
"Told ya. We need to run a scan in the TARDIS when we get back there and make sure the universe isn't splintering apart."
"Yeah, because I don't know how that ball coulnda got by me," the Doctor said, picking it up.
He ruffled Chaska's hair as he walked past him. Once the ball was returned, the little group walked on looking for something else to do.
(Meanwhile…)
Rain went upstairs to take a shower while Nelak and Awinita talked to the children.
"So where is the Doc today?" Nelak asked.
"Dada went with a friend to discuss building a park," Nelak said.
"A park?" Awinita said.
"Yeah," Sokanon said. "His friend designs gardens and Doc is helping him build one here in the city."
"And he didn't take Mi-mi along as advisor of everything?" Nelak teased.
Namid giggled at that and shook her head.
"Well, you can come with me then. I'll find ya something to do," Nelak said.
"Don't Mi-mi, it's a trap!" Awinita said.
"Yes, I'll find you plenty of work in the mines, I mean…the amusement park," Nelak said as the children giggled. "Sorry, don't know why I said mines, must have been a slip of the tongue."
He winked at Awinita as the children came over and hugged him.
Just then there was a knock on the door.
"Does Doc knock?" Nelak asked.
"Hey, that rhymes!"
Nelak eyed his wife who gave him a sly grin as the children giggled.
"Ahem, does Doc knock when he wants in?" he repeated.
"No, he has a key," Sokanon said. "Must be someone else. I'll get it."
"Nah, let me get it, safer that way," Nelak said.
He got up and walked over to the door. He opened it expecting to see a familiar face but instead he saw a short, pudgy man with teal skin and short brown hair in a buzz cut. The man's black eyes drifted up to Nelak's purple hair and he gave a disdainful snort that made Nelak narrow his eyes.
"Who are you?" he said coldly.
"I, am Zod, advisor to the emperor of Mackus. I'm here to see the Doctor."