May 2018: re-edited since its original posting.
Chapter 4 - Motorway Foot Patrol
The Doctor worked his way down through the levels of cars, marveling at the various ways people had set up their little motor homes for this life on the road. But his thoughts were mainly on Martha, wondering what she was facing at the moment, and of course on Rose.
That kiss may have been just a bit desperate. He hadn't actually been sure he was going to make it this far, to what now looked like the last level before the express lane. In fact, he still wasn't sure.
He'd survived the jumps, but the fumes were really starting to get to him, despite the bandana he'd acquired several levels ago.
With relief, he sonic'ed the hatch of - hopefully - the last car open, and fell in.
"Capsule open," reported the computer.
The driver whirled to face him. "'Scuse me, is that legal?" he asked.
"Sorry, Motorway Foot Patrol -" the Doctor began, reciting his now well-practiced spiel. However, a coughing fit stopped him short. "Whatever," he gave up. "Have you got any water?" he asked, hoarsely.
Back in Valerie's and Brannigan's car, Rose continued to wait on hold with the police, thinking worriedly of both Martha and the Doctor.
She knew just what it was like to be in Martha's shoes, ages from home, her only hope a relative stranger. And, she had to admit, she admired the Doctor for what he'd done, once more risking his life for the sake of his companion, even one they hardly knew.
But that didn't mean she had to like it. Even if she did get a toe-curling kiss before he'd left this time, that would not in any way make up for it if he never -
All of a sudden, a loud creak sounded, sparks flying from the ceiling. Rose backed towards the cockpit, trying to avoid the shower.
"Just what we need," said Brannigan from behind her. "Pirates!"
"I'm calling the police!" said Valerie.
"Yeah," said Rose, watching as the top hatch fell inward. "Good luck with that." She'd only been trying for the past who-knew-how-long.
Another cat-person, this time dressed in a nun's wimple, poked her head down through the hatch, pointing a gun at the three of them. "The Doctor. Where is he?!" she demanded.
"You know him?" Rose asked.
The pirate looked at her, and then lowered herself fully into the car, dropping to the floor on all fours. "Yes. And I know you, Rose Tyler," she said as she straightened.
Rose's mouth fell open as recognition dawned on her.
The Doctor worked with the sonic screwdriver, fiddling with the wiring of the car's front console, trying to trip the ventilation system. "That's it!" he exclaimed, moving back to the car's bottom hatch. "Might shift the fumes a bit, give us a good look." He and the car's driver stared down into the clearing fumes.
"What are those shapes?" the driver asked.
The Doctor watched, as huge, snapping claws materialized before his eyes. "They're alive," the Doctor told him.
"What are they?!" exclaimed the driver.
The creatures were now fully visible, with their crablike bodies and glowing eyes. "Macra," the Doctor answered. "The Macra used to be the scourge of this galaxy," he explained. "Gas... they fed off gas; the filthier, the better. They built up a small empire using humans as slaves and mining gas for food."
The driver shook his head. "They don't exactly look like empire-builders to me."
"Well, that was billions of years ago. Billions," said the Doctor with a sigh, closing the bottom hatch. "They must've devolved down the years and now they're just beasts. But they're still hungry and my friend's down there."
A clank sounded from the top of the car, and the Doctor looked up to see feet dangling down from the hatch through which he'd entered.
"Oh, it's like New Times Square in here, for goodness's sake!" exclaimed the driver.
"I've invented a sport!" the Doctor said proudly, as the visitor dropped to her feet before him.
"Doctor, you're a hard man to find," she told him.
"No guns!" said the driver emphatically, pointing to her weapon. "I'm not having guns!"
"I only brought this in case of pirates," she told him, and turned back to the Doctor. "Doctor, you've got to come with me."
"Do I know you?" he asked. He'd had some experience with the Sisters, but that was years ago for them.
"You haven't aged at all," she said. "Time has been less kind to me."
It finally clicked; that face, that voice, "Novice Hame!" he exclaimed, hugging her. Then he remembered better. "No, hold on, get off," he said, holding her at arm's length. "Last time we met, you were breeding humans for experimentation," he accused.
"I've sought forgiveness, Doctor, for so many years, under his guidance," she said. "And if you come with me, I might finally be able to redeem myself."
"I'm not going anywhere," he told her. "You've got Macra living underneath this city. Macra! And if my friend's still alive, she's stuck down there!" He hated having to admit to the "if" in that sentence, but there was no way he'd leave before he'd found out for certain.
"You've got to come with me right now!" she told him, more urgently.
But the Doctor wasn't having it. "No, no, no," he countered. "You're coming with me. We've got three passengers now."
"I'm sorry, Doctor," Novice Hame told him. "But the situation is even worse than you can imagine." She grabbed his wrist, and pressed a button on the wristband she was wearing. "Transport," she ordered into the device.
"Don't you dare! Don't you dare!" the Doctor shouted, just before he was blinded by a white light.
Rose closed the car's bottom hatch, having watched Novice Hame successfully leap to the next car down.
"The Face of Boe," she said, half to herself.
"And what would that be?" asked Brannigan.
"Oh, you know," Valerie told him. "Haven't you heard the stories? He's supposed to be the oldest living thing in the galaxy. Thousands of years old, they say."
"Rubbish," scoffed Brannigan.
"Millions," Rose corrected. "I've met him, once. Well, twice, but I wasn't really myself the second time."
Brannigan gave her a strange look, but she ignored it.
"But he called us here, before," she said, picking up the Doctor's coat and digging in the pockets. "With the psychic paper," she added. "Got it!" she exclaimed, producing the small, black wallet.
"Psychic-" began Brannigan.
"Never mind," Rose said, sitting in front of the terminal which still displayed the hold message from the police.
She opened the wallet, and stared at the blank page. She remembered how the Face of Boe had called them to New Earth, once before, when he'd thought he was dying. Now, he was searching for the Doctor again. Or, rather, he'd sent Novice Hame to search for him. What was going on?
She focused, and slowly she made the words 'The Face of Boe' appear.
Then they vanished, replaced by, 'Hello, Rose Tyler.'
She shivered, eerily reminded of that scene in the - was it the second? - Harry Potter movie, with the diary. She shook herself, and asked, 'You know me?'
'Yes, I know you, Rose, better than you know me, just yet. But that is my past - and your future.'
Okay, so he knew about her traveling with the Doctor. And it looked like they'd be meeting again. But that still didn't explain what was going on.
The answer came before she even "wrote" the words. 'Only the Doctor can save them,' he told her. 'I don't have the strength. I could only protect them, but I cannot free them.'
'Who?' she asked.
The response didn't come at first, and it appeared only slowly when at last it did. 'The under-city,' he said.
So, it was worse than just a never-ending traffic jam. 'What can I do?' Rose thought to him.
'Dear, sweet Rose.' She thought she could feel his smile along with the words. 'Nothing, for now. I will see you again, when the Doctor comes. When the Doctor saves them.'
Nothing? Great, thought Rose, he just wants her to sit on hold, too.
'I cannot -'
Rose watched as the words disappeared, then were replaced.
'I must go,' he said, 'but Rose, thank...'
She watched intently. He seemed to be having difficulty forming the words, and she was afraid she was losing the connection. Then, a message appeared.
'Never regret saving a life.'
To be continued...