3. Something's Missing.
Alyssa wants to impress Simeon. She'd like to take Simeon out for a holiday away, but as a surprise.
Her sister's Tardis seems to be away somewhere else, and Chloe's not mentioned where. Alyssa doesn't like to ask - it might seem rather direct, - Where's your Tardis these days? It might seem colloquial, but if Chloe asks, Why would you want to know? then her ploy to use the Tardis would all have to come out. She'd never be able to keep it secret. .
Her sister Chloe's home but she's showering. Alyssa passes her room and decides to pop in. She looks around ... There it is. Chloe's pride and joy - her wristwatch! Just sitting on the bed where Chloe left it.
Temptation is a terrible thing! Alyssa's fully bought into her plan to impress Simeon; she's desperate. .
She should resist!
Alyssa reaches for the wristwatch.
It looks like any other basic wristwatch. Its multiple alarm memories have been re-purposed for other uses (ref. 29). . The main button on the wristwatch has become worn, doubtless as Chloe has toyed with just when to press it.
Alyssa has one burning question - Will it work for me? .
She puts it on her own wrist. Then she thinks - how does it actually work? Her sister had explained it once to her when she hadn't really been listening. Now she has it on, the moment has arrived; her brain is addled! She's too excited! She can't think straight! .
There's an interesting ring nearby. Maybe she might put that on, too? Would that help her look good to Simeon?
Her mind is clearer, at least for now.
It's a 'Ring of Confidence' and it has some properties. It probably cleared her mind!
Simeon's downstairs fixing a drink of something a bit like tea for them.
Her finger toys with the button on the wristwatch...
The bedroom changes into the kitchen. Simeon has his back to her with the fridge door open.
Alyssa thinks for a moment. Surely it's worked for her? She's no longer in the bedroom! .
Simeon turns around and glances at Alyssa. "Ah, there you are! Is that enough milk?" .
The poured tea seems adequately milked already. "That's lovely," Alyssa responds.
It feels like a useful moment to propose her outing. "Would you like to go somewhere where your tea is made for you?"
"Oh, a hotel, you mean?"
"Yes, any hotel," Alyssa says, but then she thinks about a pre-booking. She hasn't prepared for this outing with a pre-booking! The wristwatch transport can't do pre-bookings! .
"Or anywhere. A cafe?" she adjusts her horizons quickly. .
Then, how will she pay for their beverages? Maybe a cafe on her home planet will be alright. She's got means of paying here.
Simeon picks up both cups of tea he just made. "Shall we go out into the garden?" .
Alyssa sighs quietly. It will have to wait for another time. . She appreciates how much her sister Chloe must have planned things.
Alyssa might go to their local cafe, or nowhere at all! She's had no practice using the wristwatch transport! It's only by chance she arrived in their kitchen, and that was due to her thinking about Simeon! .
She didn't plan anything! But then, she didn't give herself time to plan anything!
Chloe emerges from the shower. She plans an outing in her Tardis with the Doctor. Her mind is running on ahead planning details of their journey. Does the Doctor plan like this? She doubts it. He wings it, maybe. Probably too much, she thinks.
As she dresses she glosses over the absence of her wristwatch and ring. . There are so many other things in her mind.
Chloe's Tardis is parked at the back of her wardrobe after Alyssa borrowed it recently (ref. 50). Alyssa will never find it there! .
She's made being in the wardrobe safe by removing the locks! She's no-one's fool - she's not going to get trapped in her wardrobe! .
She climbs through into her Tardis and taps buttons on the Console. Her Tardis zizzes...
Chloe joins the Doctor in his Tardis, her Tardis always parks itself to look like other doors in the wall, so there now appear to be two identical exit doors from the Doctor's Tardis! .
Chloe smiles as she sees the identical door and notes which one is her Tardis door! .
"A posh restaurant today?" she asks. She knows the Doctor has many such places in mind.
She's not demanding or expecting, she knows that would be bad form! Just hopeful, but if it isn't great she'll be just as pleased.
The Doctor nods. "Nolland!"
Chloe's like a breath of fresh air, and her usual loyalty is so pleasing to him. Together he feels that they can make a huge difference to the Universe!
He taps plenty of buttons and selects a few options on-screen, before pulling the dematerialisation lever.
"I fixed the over-loud noise," he says proudly as the grinding starts. It had taken some time; maybe a whole week of his time, but the result is worth it! The grinding noise is back to its previous volume! .
A small alcove contains the Tardis neatly. The Doctor draws some curtains across to fully conceal his Tardis from view.
"You've been here before," Chloe says cheerfully. The Doctor's action had been familiar to him.
"Of course I have," the Doctor smiles. It had been a long while, though, he reflects more sombrely.
"They've even given you your own alcove," Chloe exclaims. She's most impressed. "Did you book a table?"
"I tried to, but there's been no confirmation," the Doctor replies. "I'm unsure why; they're usually prompt."
They walk through into the dining area. Very few tables are in use. The staff appear to be busy chatting.
They wait near a rostrum bearing a plaque requesting them to wait to be seated. After a minute, one of the staff peels off from the others to show them to a table.
"I tried to reserve a table," the Doctor says.
"Sorry, our system has been playing up. We can't reserve more than two tables per meal, so numbers are down."
"Plenty to talk about?" the Doctor prompts, hoping for insight into their conversation.
"Yes, there's been a take-over," the waiter says. "We're not sure what to expect."
The Doctor raises his eyebrows. "Who's taking over?"
"It's a Mister Manchester," the waiter replies. "I'll leave you with the menu for a few minutes."
"Who's that?" Chloe asks.
"Mister Manchester is likely to be the Master," the Doctor says. "It's an old name he used to go by. I wonder what he's doing here?"
"Doctor, look; on the menu - Manchester Tart!" Chloe says urgently. "Do you think it's safe to eat here?" .
After a short while the waiter returns to the table. "Are you ready to order?"
The Doctor looks at the waiter. "Tell me, how long has the Manchester Tart been on the menu?"
"Oh, ages, sir."
"Then we'll order! What's the steak from?" .
A burly being enters the dining area during their meal. Chloe recognises him immediately (ref. 33). A sharp gasp from Chloe alerts the Doctor. He leans forwards.
"What's wrong?"
"That large being over there," Chloe whispers. "It's the Bicx Captain. I've seen him before!" She tries to hide her face.
"Don't try to hide," the Doctor says. "You've regenerated since then surely?"
"That's true," Chloe says, sitting up straight again. .
"Let's see what he has to say for himself."
To Chloe's alarm, the Doctor walks to the Bicx Captain's table to talk! .
"Hello, Captain Throng," the Doctor says, "What brings you here? Are you mining?"
"Colonel Throng now," Colonel Throng says. "And what's your name?"
"The Something," the Doctor quips. He recalls something Chloe mentioned about one of her encounters with him when he couldn't remember the Doctor's title (ref. 33).
"Mining rare rocks?" the Doctor asks.
"Pyroxium, Lanthanides, and some other things."
"Big contract, is it?"
"Yes. Doh, I'm not supposed to tell you or anyone!" Suddenly the Bicx Colonel shuts up and scowls. He feels he's let out too much already.
"Sorry," the Doctor says to cover his tracks, "I was just interested." He walks back to Chloe.
Chloe's heard the conversation - the Colonel isn't the quietest being! .
"Pyroxium. That's what they use for heat control and storage, isn't it?" Chloe says quietly.
"They use Lanthanides in specialised compounds for room temperature superconductors."
"What's the Master doing with these?" Chloe wants to know.
"What indeed," the Doctor muses. "A big contract, too?"
"Is he cornering the Universe market?" Chloe asks.
After the meal they head back to the Tardis.
Chloe finds out about building changes on the planet Nolland since she was last there. An imposing white mansion appears to have been only recently completed. She toys with visiting that mansion while the Doctor looks up recent superconductive contracts, but she elects to wait for him. He's recently asked her to ask him before doing things and she wants to respect that. But she's itching to go! .
"Mister Manchester is everywhere in superconductivity just now!" the Doctor exclaims.
"That's better than him terrorising people!" Chloe points out. . "What links heat storage to superconductivity?"
"Let's find out," the Doctor says.
Where can they find more out?