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The TARDIS landed with a soft thud and Rhea was able to peel herself from the console and shook out her hair. The roughness of the flight had made a mess of her hair. The Doctor looked at her with a wicked smile and a gleam in his eyes. He was the first one out the doors, Rose was quick to follow behind him with Rhea coming out last.
Shutting the doors after herself, she let herself take in the view. Rose was walking down a flight of steps. A large floor to ceiling window was covered by a large set of blinds that raised as the trio walked closer to it.
She was actually in space!
How cool was that?
From her viewpoint she could see stars, brighter than how they would appear to her on Earth. It was absolutely amazing. of course she always thought that she would never be able to see the stars because of the sun.
"You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day" The Doctor said with a slight smirk on his face, hands in his pockets as he turned on his heels as he glanced at Rhea .
He glanced down at his watch and she couldn't help but smirk.
"Hold on." He raised a single finger in the air as the three of them stared out the large window.
The sun flared, a light bursting from it and spread outwards.
What was going on?
Rhea could see the Earth, and what appeared to be satellites around the planet. Faintly could she see something akin to energy flares? Almost like they were the only things holding the planet back from the Sun's wrath.
"This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world, Rose and Rhea "
She let out a laugh and looked at him spinning around in a circle.
"Is this for real?" Rose asked, her accent thick with wonder. Rhea just grinned and looked at her before walking over to Rose. Her arm slung over her best friend's shoulder.
"This is as real as it is going to get Rose." The black haired girl spoke, shocked in her own voice as her mind struggled to take it all in.
She just laughed and shook her head at her, just then a voice came through the speaker,
"Shuttles five and six are now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine"
She looked around the room, and noticed the Doctor staring at her, she arched her brow at him, and got a small smile in return.
"So when it says guests, does that mean people?" she asked the Doctor as she turned around, seeing Rose leaning against the door, looking at them with a smile on her face.
"Depends on what you mean by people." He said in response as he looked around the room, hands in his jean pockets.
"I thought I meant people, what do you two mean?" Rose spoke up, as she looked at the two of them.
"Aliens." The Doctor and Rhea spoke at the same time, the two of them grinning at the other.
Rose pushed herself off of the wall and looked at the pair, "What are they doing on board a spaceship? What could all this be for?" She asked, eyes wide with wonder and slight confusion.
Rhea looked around the room, taking note of everything, speaking before the Doctor could respond. Large space, furniture, windows. It was obviously an observation desk. It had all the points for it to be one.
"It's more so an observation deck type thing. All of the aliens that came are here to see the Planet burn up. Get a bit of a show, chat with some mates, that sort of thing. " A smirk appeared on her lips and she heard the Doctor speak.
"Fantastic!" and he grabbed his tube thing from inside his jacket pocket.
'Sonic screwdriver.' A female voice urged in her head, almost pleading with her. Of course, Rhea almost ignored it as she normally did.
"What do you need your screwdriver for?" The question spilled from her lips before she could stop it.
His eyes widened slightly, as if he couldn't believe her. The Doctor just grinned at her, and pressed on the button and the panel on the wall lit up. She turned on her heels, and finally made her way to the window. She had to admit, the view was nice. Well, if you consider seeing the Sun as a red giant and the Earth about to be destroyed a nice view. But still, the side of her that loved space was enjoying this immensly.
This was something that no one would ever see, but here she was.
Letting out a breath, she leaned against the window, letting herself tune back into the conversation happening between Rose and the Doctor. Her own mind wandered a million miles a minute.
"But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, and that takes hundreds of years." Rose spoke, and Rhea could see her head tilt slightly.
"Millions, but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there? Gravity satellites holding back the sun." He pointed to the satellite like objects that were bordering the Sun. Rhea pushed herself off the wall and finally spoke up.
"But the planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted? Ya know, suppose to form another supercontinent?" She spoke as she placed herself next to Rose.
"They did," He started, turning around on his heels to face the window. "and the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over."
"How long does it take?" Rhea questioned, pacing back and forth, twisting her fingers together.
"About half an hour and then the planet gets roasted." The Doctor spoke with a wicked grin on his face.
Rose glanced over at the man, one of her eyebrows arched at the man.
"Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?"
"He's not saving it Rose, it's time is up." Rhea spoke, her lips down in a slight frown.
"But," her friend started, "What about all of the people?"
"It's empty. They are all gone. There's no one left. Come on, you know this. By this time we've reached out to other places in the universe."
"So it's just Rhea and I then."
The shorter female wrapped her arm around Rose's shoulders and pulled her close.
Just then the door opened, making the trio look towards who was coming in. In came a tallish blue skinned person who had golden eyes, he lips pressed into a line as he walked towards them. Rhea let out a small laugh, nose crinkling up.
"Who the hell are you three?" He asked, seemingly confused. "How did you get in? This zone is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have already disembarked. They're coming in any second now."
"That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation. Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus two! I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler and Rhea Carter. They are my plus two. Is that all right? He spoke rapidly as he pulled a blank piece of paper out of his pocket.
"Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy." He dismissed himself heading over to the nearby podium.
"Paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time." He waved it towards the pair.
That's weird, because from where Rhea was standing, she could see that it was blank. Her head tilted to the side.
"It's blank." She spoke softly, eyebrows furrowed. "At least from here it is." The Doctor looked at her, before turning to Rose, holding the paper out to her.
"What does this say?"
"This is a test to see if the psychic paper works." Rose read off, "So this just says anything you want it to?"
"Basically." he responded, turning on his heels and walking to Rhea . He raised the paper to her face. "What does it say?"
"It's still blank." She focused on the paper. A thought wandered through her head. 'Why would it be blank for me but still work for Rose?'
And then it appeared on the paper, how in the hell?
"Was that you?" The Doctor asked, shocked in his voice. Never once has he met a companion who was able to use the paper without being told how to. She grew more and more intriguing as time passed.
"I swear, I don't know how that happened." Her voice was laced with fear and a hint of panic.
"It's okay. I promise-" before he could continue speaking, he was caught off by the alien from earlier.
"We have in attendance the Doctor, Rhea and Rose Tyler. Thank you. All staff to their positions." The black haired girl wasn't even going to bother to correct him.
"Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honored guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees. Jabe, Lute and Coffa."
Rhea watched, rocking on her heels as three tree-like people made their way out of the elevator. While it was weird to see, she had to admit that the female -Jabe- was pretty. Is this what the future was going to be like for humanity? Tree people and blue aliens?
The female tuned out most of the talking, taking the time to focus on the room around her. She took in all the sights of all the aliens. She glanced from time to time at Rose, who seemed to be taking it worse than she was.
The trio of trees slowly made their way to them. Rhea offered Jabe a small smile and a small wave of her fingers. The tree-like woman turned to Rose and the Doctor, holding out the plant in her hands towards them.
"A Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather."
A what now? Of her grandfather?
She made sure to keep her face blank of any emotions.
"Thank you. Yes, gifts. Er," She watched as he fumbled around, "I give you in return air from my lungs."
"How intimate."
"There's more where that came from." He flirted back, winking.
Something relating to jealousy and anger built in Rhea 's stomach. Why was she feeling protective of him?
"I bet there is." Jabe replied, sending the Doctor a smile before heading off to where her companions had wondered.
"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe."
A large glass case barely made it through the doorway. It contains a giant head with straggly hair and squinting eyes. The Face of Boe was wheeled off to the side. His eyes seemed to be looking her in the eyes. Why did they look familiar?
"The Moxx of Balhoon." The Doctor spoke as a short blue creature made its way to the trio.
"My felicitations on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily salivas."
True to his word, his spit hit Rose in the face.
"Thank you very much." Rhea tried to stifle a laugh.
A black robed group walked -more like gliding up, Rhea thought- to them.
"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I bring you air from my lungs." The center person held out their hands, and in it was a metal egg. Rhea got a vibe that told her whatever was in it was not good.
"A gift of peace in all good faith."
Yeah, no thank you.
"And last but not least," The Steward started speaking again, "our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."
Rhea watched in shock, horror and slight disgust as a frame was wheeled in. The frame held skin, which was stretched. It also had a face on it.
Rhea was disgusted.
How was she even alive?
What the actual fuck.
Was this how far humans were willing to go to stay alive in her future?
"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me. Moisturize me." she commanded her workers.
They immediately sprayed her.
Glancing over at Rose, Rhea could see a similar expression on her friend's face.
She continued droning on.
"Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honor them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity."
She watched as Rose did a circle around Cassandra while a jukebox was wheeled out.
"According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!" Cassandra cried out cheerfully.
The center button was pressed and the sounds of Tainted Love by Soft Cell started to play.
"Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes."
With everyone starting to mingle, she saw Rose ame a dash out of the room, the Doctor quickly following her.
That left the black haired girl by herself.
Alone.
In a room full of aliens.
Great.
She paused, unsure of what to do. Fingers started to twist together.
The Face of Boe was off to the side, and she made her mind up. Brushing her hair behind her ear, she walked over, biting down on her bottom lip. Rhea smiled softly as she approached the Face.
"You seem lonely, so I'm going to keep you company for a while, if that's alright."
"It's nice to see your face again, Rhea ." She heard in her mind, the voice deep and soft. She arched her brow.
"You know me?" Her eyebrow arched up, confusion etching onto her face.
"We've met many times my dear. You did say the last time we saw each other that the next time we saw each other, it would be the first time for you."
"I guess that means I'm sticking around with the Doctor then." She quipped, a smile growing.
"You do. You're going to find a lot of new things about yourself along the way. You're going to see a lot and lose some things along the way. You're not alone though, Rhea ."
"Of course I'm not alone, I have Rose and the Doctor," She spoke, fingers twisting together. "And I don't plan on leaving this life anytime soon. There's so much to see and do."
"It's so nice to see you like this," His voice sounded.
"Like what?"
"Happy, Rhea ." Her head tilted to the side, a frown on her face. Was this some sort of warning for what was to happen in her later travels with them?
"I," she took a breath. "I just wonder and hope that I can figure out who I am. I figured it out eventually though, right?"
"Exactly, This won't be the last time you see me, just for your knowledge. As for who he is to you, that's for you both to find out Little One. Now, I think the Doctor is looking for you."
She could hear him, faintly, calling for her, and she smiled at the Face of Boe.
"It was lovely talking to you."
"You as well my dear. Now go see what that man is getting himself into again this time."
"Rose? Are you in there?" The Doctor spoke, as he used the sonic to open the door. Rhea stood by his side. The door slid open and the two of them walked in, Rhea 's hands in her pockets.
"What do you think, then?" He asked the both of them, watching as Rhea sat on the steps. Letting out a slow deep breath, Rhea quickly tied her hair up. This whole day was slowly starting to get to her. She leaned her head on her hands and started out the window.
Deep breaths Rhea .
Deep Breaths.
"Great. Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper. They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're aliens." Rhea laughed, moving so she was laying down on the step. Rose just smiled at her, shaking her head.
"Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South." He shot back, hands going to the pockets.
"Where are you from?"
"All over the place."
"They all speak English." Rhea noted, her hands twisting together. How could they all be speaking english?
"No, you hear English. It's a gift from the TARDIS. The telepathic field gets inside your brain and translates the languages to english."
Hold the fuck up.
The TARDIS was in her head?
That was so cool!
Rose, on the other hand, wasn't taking it the same way Rhea was.
"It's inside my brain? Like, inside my brain?"
"Well, in a good way.." The Doctor tried to reassure Rose, causing Rhea to snort.
"You're really not helping!" She exclaimed.
"Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind, and you didn't even ask?" Anger started to come out in Rose's voice.
Shit.
"I didn't think about it like that."
"Of course you didn't, Doctor." Rhea shot him a grin.
"No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you, then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you?"
"Rose, lay off him will ya?" Rhea called out, at the same time the Doctor spoke.
"I'm just the Doctor."
"From what planet?" her friend asked.
Gallifrey her mind filled in. An image of twin suns setting across a field of flowers, painting it in pink dusky glow.
Beautiful.
"Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is!" the Doctor retorted. His tone was sharp and anger was starting to come out.
"Where are you from?"
"What does it matter?"
"Tell me who you are!"
"This is who I am, right here, right now, all right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me." He yelled out, and Rhea got up from the step, balance swaying as a headache started to make itself known.
"Yeah, and I'm here too because you brought me here, so just tell me!"
"For fucks sake, Rose, leave it!" Rhea yelled out over them.
Letting out a frustrated breath, the female got up from her spot and moved over by the window, sitting on the little ledge, looking out.
"Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes." The speaker called out.
"All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver." Rose spoke, sending the Doctor an apologetic smile. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, fiddling with it in her hands.
"Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit."
"Tell you what." The man spoke, holding his hand out for her phone, smiling when she gave it to him.
A sharp pain went through Rhea 's head, and she could see black spots start to appear in her vision.
Seems she was about to have another flashback.
She remembered the first one she had. It was on her fourteenth birthday and it was just after everyone had left for the night. She had been relaxing in bed, reading a book when a sharp pain went through her head. That flashback was short, but she gathered a lot from it.
It was in the point of view of a female named Delta.
Her older brother or maybe a friend was teasing her about her being too young to join them at the academy.
Another voice came in and told Koschei, which she assumed was the name of the male teasing her, and told him to come back inside for dinner.
Was this some sort of past life?
Rhea did believe in those types of events.
It ended soon after that and she went to bed that night more confused about her life than ever. They only happened about twice a year after that. Rhea had just had her second one of the year the night before she met the Doctor.
So why were they occurring more?
And what would this one entitle?
That was the last coherent thought she had before her knees buckled and everything went dark.