Shareen vs the Universe
Human Nature
Thanks to FanFicWriter1125 for favouriting this story
The Doctor raced into the TARDIS, Martha and Shareen hot on his heels. "Get down!" the Doctor yelled, and he and the women hit the deck as a green bolt of energy whizzed overhead. The Doctor slammed the door shut and raced over to the console. "Did they see you both?" he asked the women urgently
"I don't know." Martha replied
"Did they see you?"
"I dunno, we were too busy running for our lives!" Shareen panted
"Martha, Shareen, it's important... Did they see your faces?" the Doctor asked
"No, they couldn't have." Martha replied
The Doctor ran around the console and started working the controls. "Off we go!" he said and the women joined him as they watched the time rotor intently. Suddenly, the monitor began to beep in warning. "Ahh, they're following us!" the Doctor groaned
"How the hell can they do that? We've got a time machine!" Shareen pointed out
"Stolen technology, they've got a Time Agent's Vortex Manipulator." the Doctor told her, "They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe... they're never gonna stop." He ran a hand through his hair, racking his brains for a solution to their current predicament. "Unless... I'll have to do it." He turned to Martha and looked right into her eyes. "Martha, you trust me, don't you?"
"Of course I do." Martha replied
"Shareen?"
"Haven't got a choice, have I?" Shareen answered
"Cos' it all depends on you two." the Doctor said, reaching under the console for something.
"What does? What are we supposed to do?" Martha asked
The Doctor produced an ornate fob watch with Galifreyean symbols engraved in it. "Take this watch." he said, handing the watch to Martha, "Cos' my life depends on it. The watch, Martha, Shareen, this watch is..."
~o0o~
John Smith jerked awake in his bed. He shook his head, dismissing the dream he'd just had and got out of bed. There was a knock at the door. "Come in." he called and Martha entered, wearing a 1910's maid's uniform and carrying a breakfast tray.
"Pardon me, Mr Smith." she said when she saw him in his pyjamas, "I can come back later."
"No, it's alright, it's alright." John waved her off, putting on his dressing gown. "Put it down." Martha complied, John watching her thoughtfully. "I was, um.. Sorry, sorry. Sometimes I have these extraordinary dreams."
"What about, sir?" Martha asked, opening the curtains.
"I dream I'm this... adventurer. This... daredevil, a madman. 'The Doctor', I'm called. And last night, I dreamt that you were there. And Miss Costello too. As my... companions."
"Two teachers and a housemaid, sir?" Martha asked rhetorically, "That's impossible."
"And I'm a man from another world." John continued
"That can't be true, because there's no such thing."
John went over to the mantle and picked up the fob watch with the Galifreyean symbols. "This thing. The watch, it was.." he murmured, considering it for a moment, then put it down again. "Yeah, it's funny how dreams slip away. But I do remember one thing, it all took place in the future. In the year of Our Lord 2008."
"I can prove that wrong for you, sir." Martha smiled, "Here's the morning paper." She picked a newspaper up off the tray and handed it to him. "It's Monday, November 10th 1913, and you're completely Human, sir. As Human as they come." she finished, with a slight undercurrent of disappointment in her voice.
John didn't notice it "Hmm, that's me." he said brightly, "Completely Human."
~8~
The Union Flag was raised to full mast as boys sang a hymn, ready to begin the day at Farringdon Boy's School. John watched as a group of boys marched smartly past, like a platoon of soldiers. "Morning, sir." one of them greeted as they passed him.
John made his way inside the building, ready to start his lessons for the day. By the stairs, he passed Mr Rocastle the headmaster, a stern, pompous ex-military man. "Headmaster." John greeted.
~8~
John was soon busy teaching a class about the Napoleonic wars. "Impediment. The French were all but spent, with only two battalions of the old guard remaining." he informed his pupils, "A final reserve force was charged with protecting Napoleon. By evening, the advance of the Allied troops had forced them to retreat."
~8~
Presently, Martha was scrubbing the floor in the main hallway with another maid, Jenny. Martha and the Doctor had been at the school for two months now. The Doctor had made himself Human and believed he was a school teacher named John Smith while Martha was his personal maid and Shareen was a music teacher. The past two months had been unbearable for Martha. Jenny was nice to her, but everyone else looked down their noses at her due to her skin colour. "Morning, sir." she greeted as John walked past on his way to his next class.
"Yes, quite." John nodded, before moving off upstairs.
"Head in the clouds, that one." Jenny commented, "Don't why you're so sweet on him."
"He's just kind to me, that's all." Martha replied, "Not everyone's that considerate, what with me being..." She gestured to herself.
"A Londoner?" Jenny laughed
"Exactly! Good old London town!" Martha grinned
Just then, two senior boys, Jeremy Baines and Thomas Hutchinson, walked by. "Uh, now then, you two. You're not paid to have fun, are you?" Baines said snobbishly, "Put a little backbone into it."
"Yes sir, sorry sir." Jenny said sheepishly and went back to work.
"You there, what's your name again?" Hutchinson asked Martha
"Martha, sir. Martha Jones."
"Tell me then, Jones. With hands like those, how can you tell when something's clean?" Hutchinson said, and he and Baines laughed cruelly at their joke.
Smack!
The back of a book collided sharply with the back of Hutchinson's head. "I say!" he protested as he spun round, only to see a very angry Shareen Costello standing behind him. "Oh, Miss Costello..." he blustered, realising that he'd been caught red-handed.
"How dare you speak to my friend like that!" Shareen glowered, "Say sorry, now!"
"Oh, miss..." Hutchinson started to protest
Shareen promptly grabbed him by the lapels. "I said say sorry. NOW!" she barked
"Yes, miss." Hutchinson sighed and turned to Martha. "I apologise for my remarks, Miss Jones." he said begrudgingly.
"So you should be." Shareen said, letting the boy go. "And don't think you've heard the last of this. I wanna see both of you after classes. Now get of my sight and don't ever let me hear ya talking to my friend like that again!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Baines and Hutchinson said together and went sulkily away.
"Racist little sh*ts." Shareen muttered to Martha and Jenny, "I'm sorely tempted to cane their racist backsides into next week!"
"Thanks, Shareen." Martha said
"Any time, Martha." Shareen replied, "I'll see ya both down the pub tonight."
"We'll be there, Miss Costello." Jenny grinned
"Please, it's just Shareen." Shareen told her, "I can't stand all this master/servant cobblers. Anyway, see ya both tonight."
"Yeah, later, Shareen." Martha nodded, and Shareen headed off upstairs.
~8~
Meanwhile, John was coming out of his office with a pile of books when Joan Redfern, the school matron, came up behind him. "Good morning, Mr Smith." she greeted
"Oh, there we go." John jumped, dropping a book.
"Let me help you." Joan offered
"No, no, I've got it." John insisted, "Let me just... No. How to retrieve. Ah, could you take these?" He handed Joan the pile of books, and bent over to pick up the errant book. "No harm done. So, how was Jenkins?"
"Oh, just a cold." Joan replied, "Nothing serious. I think he's missing his mother more than anything."
"Oh, we can't have that." John said
"He received a letter this morning, so he's a lot more chipper." Joan replied, then looked down at the pile of books she was holding. "I appear to be holding your books."
"Yes, so you are!" John realised, "Sorry, sorry. Just let me..." He reached forward to take them off her
"No, why don't I take half?" Joan suggested
"Ah, brilliant idea. Brilliant." John agreed, taking half of the books, "Perfect division of labour."
"We make quite a team." Joan said
"Don't we just?" John grinned
"Ah, so these books, were they being taken in any particular direction?" Joan asked him
"Yes, um, this way." John replied, and they made their way down the hall. "I always say, Matron, give the boys a good head of steam, they'll soon tire themselves out." John said
"Truth be told, when it's just you and me, I'd rather you called me Nurse Redfern." Joan replied, "Matron sounds rather, well, matronly."
"Ah, Nurse Redfern it is, then." John said as they began to go downstairs.
"Though we've known each other all of two months, you could even say 'Joan'."
"Joan?"
"That's my name." she nodded
"Well, obviously." John said, somewhat flustered
"And it's John, isn't it?" Joan asked him
"Yes, yes is." John answered
They paused by a bulletin board halfway down the stairs. "Have you seen this, John?" Joan asked, gesturing to a particular flyer. "The annual dance at the village hall tomorrow. It's nothing formal, but rather fun by all accounts. Do you think you'll go?" she asked hopefully
John stammered for a moment, unsure how to answer. "I haven't thought about it." he blustered
"It's been ages since I've been to a dance, only no one's asked me." Joan hinted
"Well, I should imagine that you would be..." John babbled, trying to think of what to say, "Um... I mean, I'm sure if you're up for... I mean... that is... I probably won't, but even if I did then I couldn't... um, I mean I wouldn't want to..."
"The stairs." Joan said suddenly
"What about the stairs?" John asked
"They're right behind you." Joan warned. While John had been babbling, he'd been unknowingly walking backwards towards the stairs.
John turned to see, lost his balance and tumbled down the stairs. In the process, he collided with Shareen, who had been coming up the stairs at that moment and they both sprawled in a heap at the bottom.
~8~
Joan had soon helped John and Shareen back to John's room and was tending to a cut on the back of John's head while Shareen sat on the settee holding a pack of ice to her head. John was grunting and grumbling dreadfully. "Stop it." Joan chided him lightly, "I get boys making less fuss."
"Because it hurts." John moaned
"Oh, man up will ya?" Shareen snorted
John turned to her. "Miss Costello, I do think you ought to let Nu... Matron check you over." he said. "You did take full force."
"Ah, I'll get Martha to give me the once-over when she gets here." Shareen waved him off.
At that moment, Martha burst in. "Are they alright?" she asked worriedly
"Excuse me, Martha. It's hardly good form to enter a master's study without knocking." Joan said haughtily
"Oi, leave her alone!" Shareen snapped, "She's just worried about us, so never mind that master/servant bollocks!"
Joan could only blink at her indignantly.
"But are they alright?" Martha asked again then turned to John. "They said you fell down the stairs, sir."
"No, it's just a tumble, that's all." John waved her off
"Yeah, muggins here broke his fall." Shareen said
"Have you checked them both for concussions?" Martha asked Joan, her medical background instinctively kicking in.
"I have, and I daresay I know a lot more about it than you." Joan replied stiffly
"And I daresay Martha knows more than you ever will." Shareen snapped again, losing patience with the snooty matron's attitude towards her friend.
"Now, now, ladies." John interceded, not wanting an argument to break out between Shareen and Joan.
"She started it." Shareen grunted, giving Joan a death glare, then she turned to Martha. "While ya here, Martha, I could use ya expert medical opinion."
Martha examined Shareen carefully. "Good. No sign of concussion." she diagnosed. "You're gonna be sore for a while, but there's no injuries."
"Good. Thank you... Dr Jones." Shareen said, casting a smug look at Joan who could only glower.
"I was just telling Nurse Redfern... Matron about my dreams." John said, moving to the settee. "They are quite remarkable tales. "I keep imagining that I'm someone else, and that I'm hiding."
"Hiding?" Joan questioned, "In what way?"
"They're almost every night." John replied. "This is going to sound silly..." he laughed
"Tell me." Joan encouraged
"I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts." John told her
"Well, then, I can be the judge of that." Joan said, taking her stethoscope out of her bag and placing it against John's chest. "I can confirm the diagnosis; just one heart, singular.
Martha looked disappointed, but John just laughed at his silliness. "I have written down some of these dreams in the form of fiction." he said to Joan. "Um, not that it would be of any interest."
"I'd be very interested." Joan said
"Well... I've never shown it to anyone before." John said, going to his desk and retrieving a leather-bound journal which he handed to Joan
"'Journal of Impossible Things.'" Joan read the handwritten title on the first page. She then turned the pages to see writing and sketches of various things. One showed the TARDIS console while another showed the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. Joan then noticed sketches of all sorts of strange creatures. One depicted a child wearing a gas mask, while another depicted a Dalek. "Just look at these creatures." Joan said, "Such imagination."
"Mmm, it's become quite a hobby." John remarked
Joan flipped to the next page where she saw sketches of the Moxx of Balhoon, two Autons and one of the clockwork robots who had menaced Reinette Possion. "It's wonderful." Joan said, then noticed a sketch of a young woman: Rose Tyler. "And quite an eye for the ladies."
"Oh, no, no, she's just an invention." John said, "This character, Rose, I call her, Rose. Seems to disappear later on."
On the next page was a sketch of Cybermen, then one of the TARDIS.
"Ah, that's the box, the blue box. It's always there." John explained, "Like a... like a magic carpet, this funny little box that transports me to far away places."
"Like a doorway?" Joan queried
"Mmm." John confirmed, then Joan turned the page to see sketches of the Doctor's various faces, including the big-eared Northerner Shareen had first met. "I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true." John said wistfully.
"If only." Joan agreed
"It's just a dream." John shrugged and they continued to look through the journal.
~8~
Presently, the bell rang to denote next classes so Joan and Shareen left John's study to get back to work, Joan carrying John's journal. Martha ran to follow them. Matron, that book..." she began
"Oh, I'll look after it. Don't worry." Joan told her, "He did say I could read it."
"But it's silly, that's all." Martha persisted, "Just stories."
"Who is he, ladies?" Joan asked suddenly
"He's John Smith." Shareen answered obviously
"Yes, but who is John Smith?" Joan elaborated, "It's like he's left the kettle on. Like... he knows he has something to get back to, but he can't remember what."
Martha laughed nervously. "That's just him."
"Yeah, he's always been like that." Shareen added
"You both arrived with him, didn't you?" Joan asked them, "He found you both employment at the school, isn't that right?"
"I used to work for the family, he just sort of inherited me." Martha replied
"And I'm travellin' around with him cos' I've got no family left in England these days." Shareen added
"Well, I'd be careful." Joan told them snobbishly, "If you don't mind my saying so, you both seem a little familiar with each other. Best remember your positions."
"Oh, why don't you mind ya own business, ya stuck-up cow?!" Shareen scowled and went off in a huff. "Snooty b*tch." she muttered to herself.
~8~
After classes had finished for the day, Shareen was supervising Baines and Hutchinson's punishment for their remarks to Martha. After giving both boys a good telling off, she made them write 'I will not be a racist snob.' on the blackboard for an hour. "Ok, that's enough for today." she told them when the hour was over, "I'll see you boys here again same time tomorrow. Now scram and don't let me catch either of you saying such filth ever again."
"Yes, miss." Baines and Hutchinson said and scampered away back to their dormitory.
"And now I need a drink." Shareen said to herself, looking forward to a pint with Martha and Jenny.
~8~
That evening, Martha and Jenny were at the pub. Jenny was sat on a bench outside when Martha came out with three pints. "Oh, it's freezing out here." she moaned, "Why can't we have a drink inside the pub?"
Jenny looked at her as if she was mad. "Now, don't be ridiculous. You do get these notions!" she said. "It's all very well, those suffragettes, but that's London! That's miles away."
"Don't you just wanna scream sometimes?" Martha asked her, "Having to bow, and scrape, and behave. Don't ya just wanna tell 'em?"
"I dunno." Jenny shrugged, "Things must be different in your country."
"Yeah, well, they are." Martha replied, "Thank God I'm not staying."
"You keep saying that." Jenny said
"Just you wait. One more month and I'm free as the wind." Martha smiled. "Wish you could come with me, Jenny. You'd love it."
"Where you gonna go?" Jenny asked
"Anywhere." Martha shrugged, "Just look up there." She gestured to the sky. "Imagine you could go all the way up to the stars."
"Ya don't half say mad things." Jenny laughed
"That's where I'm going." Martha continued, "Into the sky, all the way out."
Just then, Shareen joined them. "Evening all." she said, "Not too late am I?"
"Nah, plenty of time left." Martha reassured her, "I got ya pint ready."
"Right. Let's get 'em down!" Shareen laughed and sat down on the bench.
As Shareen was happily sipping her drink, Martha happened to look to the sky and saw a green light flare into and out of existence in the night sky. "Did you see that?" she asked
"Saw what?" Shareen asked
"That light, did you see it, though?" Martha said, standing up. "Right up there, just for a second."
"Martha, there's nothing there." Jenny told her
"Well, not now, anyway." Shareen said and went back to her drink. Presently, she noticed Joan Redfern running towards them. "Oh, great. Here comes Lady Muck." she groaned, not particularly wanting to see the snooty matron just now.
Martha meanwhile noticed that Joan looked distressed. "Matron, are you alright?" she asked
"Did you see that?" Joan panted breathlessly, "There was something in the woods... this light..."
At that moment, John came out of the pub. "Anything wrong, ladies?" he asked, "Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you..."
"There!" Joan interrupted, pointing to the night sky. There was the green light again, flying over like a shooting star
"What the hell?!" Shareen frowned
"Oh, that's beautiful." Jenny breathed
"Orgom." John said, "Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."
"It came down in the woods." Joan said
"No, no, no, they always look close." John reassured her, "But actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder. Now, I should escort you back to the school." He turned to Martha, Shareen and Jenny. "Ladies?"
"No, we're fine thanks." Martha waved him off, staring at the sky.
"Then I shall bid you goodnight." John nodded, putting his hat on.
"Yeah, yeah, see ya tomorrow." Shareen said, not taking her eyes off the sky.
John and Joan walked off towards the school. Martha waited until they were out of earshot then turned to Jenny. "Where was that?" she asked, "On the horizon, where the light was headed."
"That's by Cooper's Field." Jenny replied
"Right, let's check it out." Shareen said, and she and Martha began to run in the same direction the light had gone.
"You can't just run off!" Jenny called after them, "It's dark, you'll break ya legs!"
Undeterred, Martha and Shareen ran towards the Blackdown Woods. They peered over a gate into a clearing to find nothing there. "There y'are." Jenny said as she caught up with them, "Nothing there. I told you so."
"And that's Cooper's Field?" Martha asked her
"As far as the eye can see, and no shooting star." Jenny replied. "Now come on, I'm frozen to the bone, let's go. As your Mr Smith says, 'Nothing to see'."
"Yeah, we'll catch up with you, Jenny." Shareen waved her off, moving towards something she'd seen nearby.
"What is it?" Martha asked her
Shareen knelt down to find a crate of beer bottles half-buried in a pile of leaves. "Oh, just someone's secret stash." she told Martha. "Ah, looks like we're chasin' phantoms. I'm goin' back to the pub. You coming, Martha?"
"Yeah." Martha answered distractedly, and they set off back towards the pub.
~8~
Next morning, Martha and Shareen rode their bicycles to an old stone barn on the outskirts of the village where the TARDIS was being stored for the duration of their stay in 1913. Martha unlocked the door and they entered the blue police box, the console room mostly in darkness save for the cyan light from the Time Rotor. "Hello." Martha called out into the box's cavernous depths then shook her head. "I'm talking to a machine." she smiled
"Ah, Peacock's always doin' it." Shareen said, "And he likes to stroke bits of it too." She and Martha shared a laugh at that. "Right, I've just gotta use the printer." Shareen said, "Back in two ticks." And she disappeared through the door to the TARDIS' other rooms.
Martha walked over to the console and looked at the dormant Time Rotor. She sighed and closed her eyes, remembering the last moments of the Doctor being himself.
~o0o~
"Martha, Shareen, this watch is me." the Doctor said, handing Martha the fob watch.
"Right, ok, gotcha." Martha nodded, "No, hold on! Completely lost."
"Me too." Shareen agreed
"Those creatures are hunters, they can sniff out anyone." the Doctor told them. "And me, being a Time Lord, well, I'm unique. They can track me down across time and space."
"Huh, and the good news is?" Martha scoffed
"They can smell me, but they haven't seen me." the Doctor said, "And their life's bound to be running out, so we hide, wait for them to die."
"But they can track us down." Shareen reminded
"That's why I've gotta do it." the Doctor said seriously, "I have to stop being a Time Lord. I'm gonna become Human." He flicked a switch and a helmet-like contraption lowered from the ceiling. "Never though I'd use this." the Doctor remarked, "All the times I've wandered."
"What does it do?" Martha asked
"Chameleon Arch. Rewrite my biology." the Doctor explained, "Literally changes every single cell in my body. I've set it to Human." He took the fob watch back off Martha and placed it into a slot on the helmet. "Now, the TARDIS will take care of everything. Invent a lifestory for me, find me a setting and integrate me. Can't do the same for you two... you'll just have to improvise. I should have just enough residual awareness to let you both in."
"Why do I get the feeling you're gonna be even worse as a Human?" Shareen muttered
"But, hold on, if you're gonna rewrite every single cell, isn't it gonna hurt?" Martha asked the Doctor.
"Oh yeah. It hurts." the Doctor replied, setting the arch.
~o0o~
And it did hurt. Martha shivered as she remembered the Doctor's screams as the Chameleon Arch rewrote his DNA. Turning away from the memory, Martha tuned the monitor to play a video message the Doctor had left before the change had taken effect to give his companions advice on what to do.
"This working?" the Doctor said in the message, tapping the camera. "Martha, Shareen, before I change, here's a list of instructions for when I'm human. One, don't let me hurt anyone. We can't have that, but you know what humans are like. Two, don't worry about the Tardis. I'll put it on emergency power so they can't detect it. Just let it hide away. Four. No, wait a minute, three. No getting involved in big historical events. Four, you two. Don't let me abandon either of you. And fi..."
Martha twisted a dial to fast-forward through the Doctor's message. "But there was a meteor, a shooting star." she said to the screen, "What are we supposed to do?"
She let go of the dial at the last item on the Doctor's list. "And twenty three. If anything goes wrong, if they find us then you both know what to do. Open the watch. Everything I am is kept safe in there. Now, I've put a perception filter on it so the human me won't think anything of it. To him, it's just a watch. But don't open it unless you have to. Because once it's open, then the Family will be able to find me. It's all down to both of you, Martha, Shareen. Your choice. Oh, and thank you." he finished
"I wish you'd come back." Martha whispered
She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see that Shareen had returned. "I miss him too, Martha." she said sympathetically. "Hmm, never thought I'd ever say that." she mused.
Martha then noticed that Shareen was holding a sheet of paper. "What's that?" she asked
"My lesson for today." Shareen replied, "I'm gonna teach the boys this song." She showed Martha the sheet, which had the lyrics to Edwin Starr's War written on it. "Last day here, I'm gonna have them all sing this to Mr Rocastle." Shareen smirked
"He won't like that." Martha chuckled
"What's he gonna do? Sack me?" Shareen snorted, "I tell ya, Martha, it's a miracle I've gone this long without clumping that pompous arsehole. 'Just and proper war' indeed." she scowled, "I'll give him 'just and proper'!"
~8~
Meanwhile, John was in his study when there was a knock at the door. He answered the door to find Timothy Latimer, a quiet, shy, but secretly brilliant boy, waiting outside. "You told me to come and collect that book, sir." Latimer said
"Good lad, yes, yes." John said, "The Definitive Account of Mafeking by Aitchinson Price. Now, where did I put it?" He began rifling through the books on his desk. "And I wanted a little word. Your marks aren't quite good enough."
"I'm top ten in my class, sir."
"Now, be honest, Timothy." John said, "You should be the very top. You're a clever boy, you seem to be hiding it. Where is that book?" he grumbled, finding no sign of it on the desk. "And I know why." he continued, moving to his anteroom to check the bookcases, "Keeping your head low avoids the mockery of your classmates. But no man should hide himself, don't you think?"
"Yes, sir." Latimer replied from the other room.
"If you're clever, be proud of it, use it!" John encouraged. He rifled through several shelves then found the book he was looking for. "Fascinating details about the siege." he said as he returned to Latimer, "Really quite fascinating. Are you alright?" he asked, noticing that Latimer seemed rattled about something.
"Yes, sir. Fine, sir." Latimer replied hastily
"Right then, good." John nodded, giving him the book, "And remember, use that brain of yours." Latimer seemed to freeze over for a moment. "You're really not yourself, old chap." John frowned, "Anything bothering you?"
"No, sir, Thank you, sir." Latimer shook himself out of his daze and left the room.
~8~
Latimer's first class that morning was music. He and the other boys in his class filed into Shareen's classroom where she was just finishing writing the lyrics to War on the blackboard. "Now then, everyone." she began, "As you know my contract finishes at the end of this month, but before I go, we've got a performance for the headmaster. I've chosen a very special song for the occasion and today I'm going to teach it to. If you would all look at the board..."
The class all shifted their attention to the lyrics on the blackboard. One boy put his hand up. "Excuse me, miss." he said, "But the headmaster says war is glorious. Just and proper."
"Well, he's wrong." Shareen countered, "There's nothing just and proper about war at all and don't let anyone tell you different. All war is, is thoughtless killing for no reason at all. Now, shall we begin? 1... 2... 3.."
The class began to sing, "War, huh, yeah. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. War, huh, yeah. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Say it again, y'all. War, huh, yeah. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing."
"Ok, Cornell, solo verse." Shareen instructed a boy
"Oh, War, I despise because it means destruction of innocent lives" Cornell sang, "War means tears to thousands of mother's eyes when their sons go to fight and lose their lives.
"Everyone now." Shareen instructed
"I said war, huh, yeah. What is it good for?" the class chorused, "Absolutely nothing. War. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing."
"Ok, Tim, your turn." Shareen instructed Latimer
"War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker." Latimer sang, "War, friend only to the undertaker. War. It's an enemy to all Mankind. The point of war blows my mind. War has caused unrest within the younger generation. Induction then destruction. Who wants to die?"
~8~
Elsewhere on the campus, John was teaching a class on the use of machine guns. Mr Rocastle had briefly come over to give one of his misguided war is good speeches before going off to be pompous elsewhere. John then noticed that Baines was sniffing the air. "Anything the matter, Baines?" he asked him.
"I thought... No, sir. Nothing, sir." Baines said and walked away
"Pemberton, Smyth, Wicks, take post." John ordered, and the boys took up positions. John then noticed Joan watching him from the patio so he crossed over to her. "Ah, Nurse Redfern." he greeted
"Um... I'll give you back your journal when I next see you." Joan said stiffly
"No, no, no, you don't have to." John said, then noticed that Joan looked troubled
"If you'll excuse me, Mr Smith, I was just thinking about the day my husband was shot." Joan said, then turned on her heel and walked back towards the school, the sound of machine gun fire echoing from the firing range.
~8~
That afternoon, Shareen was in the village buying fish and chips for lunch. She was just leaving the chippy when she saw John Smith and Joan Redfern walking together. "Oh, good afternoon, Miss Costello." John greeted cheerfully
"Mr Smith." Shareen reciprocated. "Matron." she nodded curtly to Joan
"Miss Costello." Joan answered coldly. "Shouldn't you be at the school?"
"I'm on my lunch break." Shareen answered back. "That alright with you?"
"Hmm, of course." John said, deciding to intervene as he was aware that Shareen and Joan disliked each other intensely. "Fish and chips, mmm! Tell you what, we can all go back to the school together."
"Hmm, can so." Shareen shrugged.
The trio were soon walking on, John and Joan in the lead and Shareen trailing behind eating her food. Joan was telling John about her late husband. "His name was Oliver. He died in the Battle of Spion Kop. We were childhood sweethearts... So you see, I was angry at the army for such a long time."
"You still are." John observed
"I find myself as part of that school watching boys learn how to kill." Joan said uncomfortably
"Tell me about it." Shareen said, "Honestly, that school needs to sort it's priorities out!"
"Don't you both think the discipline is good for them?" John ventured
"Huh! That is not discipline!" Shareen scowled, "All that place is doing is teaching 'em to kill for fun!"
"Yes, I agree." Joan said. "I mean, if there's another war those boys won't find it so amusing."
"Indeed they won't." Shareen agreed. "I tell ya, one of these days I'm gonna go up to that tw*t of a headmaster and tell him exactly what he can do with his stupid guns!"
"Now, now, Miss Costello." John said. "Let's not go around causing trouble, shall we? I understand both of your dissatisfaction but remember, Great Britain is at peace. Long may it reign."
"In your journal, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year, 1914." Joan ventured
"That was just a dream." John reassured her
"All those images of mud and wire." Joan shivered. "You told of a shadow, a shadow falling across the entire world."
Behind them, Shareen shifted uncomfortably. Although she'd never been the brightest spark at school, she'd paid enough attention in history classes to learn that the First World War was one of Humanity's darkest chapters and it gave her chills to think about it.
"Well then, we can be thankful it's not true." John said. "And I'll admit mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself; everyday life can provide honour and valour and... let's hope from now on, this... country can find it's heroes in smaller places." He became distracted as he noticed two things. First was a lady with a pram coming round the corner by a shop building. Second was two men lifting a piano to the upper floor of the shop. John saw that the rope on the piano was straining and about to break. The two men were trying their absolute best to hold it but the woman was walking obliviously towards the danger. "In the most..." John tailed off, seeing a boy playing with a cricket ball nearby. "Ordinary of..." He saw that the rope was on it's last strands, ready to break any second. "Of deeds." John finished, snatching the cricket ball from the boy. He threw it at a bundle of spare scaffolding pipes which hit a plank and catapulted a brick into the air. The brick hit a milk churn and knocked it over right in the woman's path, causing her to stop just as the rope gave way and the piano came crashing down, right where the woman would've walked had she not been stopped.
"Blimey! That was brilliant!" Shareen stared
"Lucky..." John murmured, surprised at himself for his own actions.
"That was luck?" Joan stared in amazement
John turned to her. "Nurse Redfern, might I invite you to the village dance this evening, as my guest?" he asked, plucking up courage.
"You extraordinary man!" Joan laughed
"Will we be seeing you there, Miss Costello?" John asked Shareen
"Um, no, I'd better not." Shareen said uncomfortably. "I've, er, I've got to dish out detention to Baines and Hutchinson after classes and then I'm meeting Martha and Jenny for a drink. Um, if you'll excuse me, Mr Smith. I'm gonna get going back to the school." And she walked away, rather displeased that John was letting himself get too involved to the matron.
~8~
Presently, John and Joan were walking past a field with a scarecrow. "Oh, it's all becoming clear now. The Doctor is the man you'd like to be, doing impossible things with cricket balls." John said
"Well, I discovered a talent, that's certainly true." John shrugged
"But the Doctor has an eye for the ladies!" Joan teased
"The devil" John laughed
"A girl in every fireplace." Joan continued to rib
""Ah, now, there I have to protest, Joan." John laughed. "That is hardly me."
"Says the man dancing with me tonight."
John then noticed the scarecrow hanging oddly. "That scarecrow's all skewed." he frowned, walking over to put it right.
"Ever the artist." Joan remarked. "Where did you learn to draw?"
"Galifrey." John replied absent-mindedly, then frowned, wandering why he'd said that.
"Is that in Ireland?" Joan asked
"Yes, it must be. Yes." John replied, sounding unsure.
"But you're not Irish?"
"Not at all, no. My father Sydney was a watchmaker from Nottingham and my mother Verity was..." He paused. "Um... well, she was a nurse, actually."
"Oh. We make such good wives." Joan remarked
"Really?" John asked, a little uncomfortable. "Right. Yes. Well, my work is done, what do you think?"
He stepped back and Joan looked at the scarecrow. "Masterpiece." she said
"All sorts of skills today!" John laughed and they walked on.
~8~
A little later, Martha was making her way to John's study to perform her daily afternoon clean. She opened the door and was met by the sight of John and Joan kissing each other deeply. Upon realising Martha's presence, they both broke apart. "Martha, what have I told you about entering unannounced?" John said sharply
Martha didn't answer; she ran out in alarm and closed the door behind her, leaning against it in shock. "That wasn't on the list." she gasped
Martha hurried back to the TARDIS and replayed the Doctor's instructions on the monitor. "Four, you two. Don't let me abandon either of you." the Doctor said in the video
"That's no good." Martha said as she fast-forwarded the video. "That's no good. What about the stuff you didn't tell me? What about women? Oh no, you didn't think of that. What in hell are we supposed to do then?"
She finished fast-forwarding the video. "Thank you." the Doctor finished
"You had to, didn't you?" Martha grumbled, "Had to fall in love with a Human. And it wasn't me." she said bitterly, realising that Shareen was right when she'd warned her not to get too close to the Doctor. In retrospect, he wasn't worth it.
~8~
Meanwhile, Shareen was in her classroom when Hutchinson arrived to serve the second day of his detention. "Ah, Hutchinson. In you come." Shareen said sternly, then she noticed that Hutchinson was alone. "Where's Baines?" she asked
"I don't know, Miss. I haven't seen him all afternoon." Hutchinson replied
"Well then, he's just earned himself yet another detention." Shareen said. "And as for you, Hutchinson, same as last night. You know what to write. Get cracking."
"How much longer do I have to do this?" Hutchinson grumbled as he went over to the blackboard.
"Till I'm satisfied you've learned your lesson." Shareen told him bluntly. "Now get writing."
~8~
Presently, Martha was making a pot of tea in the maid's quarters when Jenny came in. "There you are!" Martha smiled. "Come and look what I've got. Mr Poole didn't want his afternoon tea so Cook said I could have it. And there's enough for two."
Jenny stayed standing in the doorway.
"Why're you standing there for?" Martha asked her
Jenny didn't answer, she just sniffed the air.
"You alright?" Martha frowned
"I must have a cold coming on." Jenny waved her off, joining her at the table and sitting down.
"Problem is, I keep thinking about them but I don't know what to do." Martha said
"Thinking about who?"
"Mr Smith and Matron." Martha replied. "Cos' it's never gonna last, he's gonna leave in a few weeks."
"Why?"
"It's like his contract comes to an end. And she's gonna be heartbroken."
"Leave for where?" Jenny probed
"All sorts of places." Martha smiled. "I wish I could tell ya, Jenny, but it's complicated."
"In what way?"
"I just can't."
"It sounds so interesting. Tell me, tell me now." Jenny insisted
Martha frowned. Jenny wasn't acting like herself at all. "Would you like some tea?" Martha asked, changing the subject.
"Yes, thanks."
"I could put a nice bit of gravy in the pot and some mutton." Martha offered, looking for an excuse to leave. "Or sardines and jam, how about that?"
"I like the sound of that." Jenny answered in a blank, emotionless voice.
"Right." Martha smiled tensely. "Hold on a tick." She got up and left the room. She quickly went outside and left the building. Suddenly, a familiar bolt of green energy whizzed past her, just missing. Martha didn't stop running till she reached Shareen's classroom. "Shareen, they've found us!" she panted
"They've what?!" Shareen stared
"They've taken over Jenny somehow." Martha told her, "She just shot at me!"
"Sh*t!" Shareen breathed, "C'mon, let's get the Doctor back!" And they both hurried for the door.
"What about me, Miss?" Hutchinson called from where he was still writing lines on the blackboard.
Shareen popped her head back in. "Oh, um, you're dismissed." she called to him then hurried away.
~8~
In his study, John and Joan were sharing a loving kiis which was quickly broken as the door flew open and Martha and Shareen burst in. "They've found us!" Martha hollered
"This is ridiculous." Joan grumbled
"Martha, I've warned you." John scolded
"Oh, never mind that!" Shareen told him sharply, "Just you shut up and listen!"
John and Joan could both only stare at her open-mouthed.
"They've found us and I've seen them!" Martha rambled frantically. "They look like people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry but you've got to open the watch." She went over to the mantle to discover that the fob watch was nowhere to be seen. "Where is it? Oh, my God, where's it gone? Where's the watch?" she fussed as she shuffled through things on the mantle.
"What are you talking about?" John asked
"That fob watch you keep on there, what've you done with it?" Shareen asked urgently
"I don't remember." John shrugged
"I can't see what concern it is of either you." Joan said snobbishly to both women
"You stay outta this!" Shareen barked
"But we need it..." Martha babbled. "Oh, my God, Doctor, we're hiding from aliens, and they've got Jenny and they've... possessed her or copied her or something and you've got to tell us, where's the watch?"
"Oh, I see." John said nonchalantly. "Cultural differences." he said quietly to Joan and picked up his journal. "It must be so confusing for you." he said to Martha in a patronising tone. "Martha, this is what we call a story."
"Oh, you complete..." Martha grumbled, realising that she was effectively talking to a brick wall. "This..." She waved a finger to indicate John. "... is 1913."
"Good. This is 1913." John said slowly, thinking he was right and Martha was just acting out.
Shareen glared at John and balled her fists, using all of her willpower to stop her herself from clumping him.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, but I've got to snap you out of this." Martha said and promptly slapped the Doctor hard across the face.
"Martha!" Joan gasped
"Nice one, Martha." Shareen said quietly, smirking a bit from seeing that.
"Wake up!" Martha hollered at John. "You're coming back to the TARDIS with us!" And she grabbed his hands and tried to drag him along.
"How dare you!" John growled, yanking himself out of Martha's grip. "I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant! Martha, you are dismissed. You will leave these premises immediately. Now get out!" And he forcefully shoved Martha out the door then rounded on Shareen. "And as for you, Miss Costello... Where do you think you're going?" he demanded as a fuming Shareen advanced dangerously towards him.
"To help my friend." Shareen growled, "Now get out my way!"
John blocked her path. "Now you listen to me!" he said severely. "I have given you a lot of leeway over the last two months but no more. I don't know what's gotten into both you and Martha and frankly, I don't care, but from now on, you will conform to the manner a young woman in your position is expected to conform. Do I make myself clear?"
Shareen grabbed him by the lapels. "F*ck you, you sexist pr*ck!" she spat furiously. "Enjoy your dance with Lady Muck over there cos' when you find out we were right, I'm gonna make you get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness. I hate 1913 and I hate you! Bollocks to ya!" And she shoved John out of the way, threw the door open and stormed out, slamming the door behind her for effect.
~8~
Shareen was still fuming as she caught up with Martha and they both ran into the night, bumping into Timothy Latimer on the way. "Oh, sorry!" Martha called to him
"Martha? Miss Costello?" Latimer called to them
"Not now, later!" Shareen waved him off.
Both women hurried to the TARDIS and Martha went over to where the Doctor's coat was slung over one of the Y-beams. She then rifled through the pockets until she found something. "Got it." she said
"Then let's go get him back." Shareen said, "The sooner we're rid of stupid John Smith the better."
They soon arrived at the village hall where the dance was taking place. "Ooh, staff entrance I think, girls." the doorman said
"P*ss off!" Shareen barked and she and Martha strode right past him and into the hall.
The village dance was in full swing. Joan was currently sitting at a table waiting for John to return with the drinks. "Please, don't. Not again." she groaned as Martha and Shareen approached
Martha wasted no time and got straight to the point. "He's different from any other man you've ever met, right?"
"Yes."
"And sometimes he says these strange things, like people and places you've never heard of, yeah?" Martha continued. "But it's deeper than that. Sometimes when you look in his eyes you know, you just know that there's something else in there. Something hidden. Right behind the eyes, something hidden away in the dark."
"I don't know what you mean, I..." Joan stuttered
"Liar." Shareen said abruptly. "You know exactly what we mean, and no offence... Actually, sod it, I do mean offence, cos' it doesn't even matter what you think and you've bought this on yourself."
John returned at that point and he was none too pleased to see Martha and Shareen there. "Oh, now really, girls. This is getting out of hand." he scolded. "I must insist you both leave."
"Make us." Shareen snarked, folding her arms stubbornly.
Martha produced the Doctor's sonic screwdriver from her pocket. "Do you know what this is?" she asked, holding it up in front of John. "Name it, go on."
"John, what is that silly thing?" Joan asked. "John?"
John didn't answer. He took the sonic screwdriver from Martha and turned it over slowly in his hands, feeling a familiarity with the strange silver and blue object yet not quite able to put his finger on it.
"You're not John Smith." Martha told him as gently as she could. "You're called 'the Doctor'. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."
But before John could answer, a portly man who John and Joan recognised as Mr Clarke the farmer burst in carrying a strange-looking gun. He was followed by Baines, who had an arrogant smirk etched on his face. "You will be silent, all of you!" Clarke bellowed as Jenny came in, accompanied by what appeared to be walking scarecrows, exactly like the one John had fixed earlier that day.
"Mr Clarke! What's going on?" the announcer demanded.
Mr Clarke responded by simply shooting the announcer with a green bolt of energy from his gun which completely vaporised him, causing panic and screaming from the terrified guests.
"Everything Martha just said, forget it!" Shareen hissed to John, "Just keep playing stupid and leave it to us."
"We asked for SILENCE!" Baines thundered, and the screams stopped. "Now then." Baines continued in a calm voice, "We have a few questions for Mr Smith."
"No, better than that." said a little girl with a red balloon, who John recognised as Lucy Cartwright. "The teacher, he's the Doctor. I heard 'em talking."
"You took Human form?" Baines questioned John
"Of course I'm Human. I was born Human!" John blustered, not understanding what was going on, "As were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mr Clarke. What is going on? This is madness!"
"Oh, and a Human brain too." Baines commented, "Simple, thick and dull."
"But he's no good like this." Jenny said
"We need a Time Lord." Mr Clarke agreed
"Easily done." Baines smirked, pulling out a gun and aiming it at John. "Change back."
"I don't know what you're talking about." John protested
"Change back!" Baines demanded
"I literally do not know how..."
Jenny suddenly grabbed Martha. "Ahhh! Let me go!" Martha screamed
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Shareen thundered, rushing forward to help her friend but Jenny held her gun to Martha's head.
"She's your friend, isn't she?" Jenny grinned cruelly, "Doesn't this scare you enough to change back?"
"I don't you what you mean!" John insisted
"Wait a minute." Jenny pondered, "The maid told me about Smith and the matron... that women there!" She pointed at Joan.
"Then let's have you!" Mr Clarke snarled, grabbing Joan and holding her hostage in the same way Jenny was holding Martha.
"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor?" Baines goaded John. "Being Human? Has it taught you wonderful things? Are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this... which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or Matron? Your friend, or your lover? Your choice!"
To be continued...
Author's notes: And we kick off series 3's home run of great stories. This two-parter is quite rightly considered to be one of Doctor Who's finest stories. Amongst it's strengths is that it challenges all those rose-tinted preconceptions we have about the past. We tend to go on about how everything was better in the old days but this story shows us that Britan in the 1910's was actually not a very pleasant place to live in. John Smith, Joan Redfern, Mr Rocastle, Baines and Hutchinson are all embodiments of everything that was wrong with society in those days and we would do well to take note of that to avoid sinking to those lows again. You'll notice that Shareen's profanity count is very high in this chapter. This is because she's basically telling all of the dinosaurs of 1913 exactly what I'd love to say to them if I were there! Meanwhile, her teaching the boys an anti-war song is just a little bit of fun that I couldn't resist. Looking back on this two-parter, I hope Paul Cornell comes back to write a story for the 2nd RTD-era, as the two stories he wrote for the 1st era were among the best of all Doctor Who. So, hope you like this chapter and see ya next time for part 2!